82 OETHOPTEKA. 



ately devoured by her progeny. The earwig derives its name from 

 its occasionally creeping into the human ear in search of conceal- 

 ment. This has been denied by some authors, who have argued 

 on a priori grounds that it was impossible, and have considered 

 the name of eanvig to be a corruption of ear-wing, in allusion to 

 the shape of the hind wings of the insect. Although it is un- 

 common, I have heard of perfectly trustworthy instances in which 

 earwigs have entered the ear; but any insect can be driven out at 

 once by pouring the ear full of oil. Some few species are apterous. 

 The eggs are not enclosed in a capsule, and the young earwigs 

 resemble the perfect insect, but do not acquire wings till their last 

 change. 



Family II. — BlaUidce. 



Tegmina overlapping; legs formed for running; head often 

 concealed beneath the large prothorax ; abdomen with two short 

 slender filaments at the extremity. 



This family includes the Cockroaches, which are among the 

 most destructive insects in warm climates, and frequently swarm 

 on board ship, when some species become torpid on reaching colder 

 climates, but reappear in abundance on the return of the vessel to 

 a warmer country. Unfortunately, however, this is not always 

 the case; and two or three large and troublesome species have 

 fully established themselves in England within the last few cen- 

 turies. The commonest of these is Periplaneta Orientalis, Linn., a 

 reddish-brown insect, improperly called the Black Beetle by house- 

 keepers. Other species are occasionally met with in England, 

 including P. Americana, Linn., and even the great cockroach 

 called the Drummer in the West Indies {Blaberus Giganteus, 

 Linn.) from the noise it makes at night. There are, however, 

 several small species of Blatta which live in the woods and fields, 

 and appear to be really indigenous in England. A large pro- 

 portion of the Blattidoi are either grey or brown, reddish-brown 

 being the predominant colour. There are occasional exceptions ; 

 thus, the species of the American genus Panchlora, Burm., are 

 all of a light green (a colour frequently met with in other 

 families of the Orthaptera) ; and Corydia Petivcriana, Linn., which 

 differs from most of the species we have mentioned in its 

 rounded, instead of long oval form, is black, with large whitish 

 or yellowish spots. This latter is a common Indian insect. 



