Editing Flea (section)

===Flea circuses===
{{Main|Flea circus}}

[[Flea circus]]es provided entertainment to nineteenth century audiences. These circuses, extremely popular in Europe from 1830 onwards, featured fleas dressed as humans or towing miniature carts, [[chariot]]s, [[Roller (agricultural tool)|rollers]] or [[cannon]]. These devices were originally made by [[watchmaker]]s or [[jeweller]]s to show off their skill at miniaturization. A ringmaster called a "professor" accompanied their performance with a rapid circus patter.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=The flea in cultural history and first effects of its control |journal=Berliner und Münchener Tierärztliche Wochenschrift |date=1 April 2000 |issn=0005-9366 |pmid=10816916 |pages=152–160 |volume=113 |issue=4 |first=R. |last=Schmäschke}}</ref><ref name="BBC">{{cite web |title=The rise and demise of the flea circus |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2LF04Y9n5hJTHK1l6ffLhPc/the-rise-and-demise-of-the-flea-circus |publisher=BBC Radio 4 |work=Natural Histories |access-date=2 November 2016}}</ref>

[[File:The Go-As-You-Please Race, as seen through a Magnifying Glass.jpg|thumb|center|upright=1.5<!--width for very detailed image-->|A [[flea circus]]: "The Go-As-You-Please Race, as seen through a Magnifying Glass", engraved by J. G. Francis, from an article by [[C. F. Holder]] in ''[[St. Nicholas Magazine]]'', 1886]]