GERMAN COCKROACH. 95 
These ‘Croton Bugs,’’ or German Cockroaches, are only about 
half an inch or very little more in length at their fullest size, and are 
marked as shown in the figures at p. 24. The colour is variable, but 
may be described generally as of a light or yellowish brown, with two 
dark stripes running along the upper surface of the fore part of the 
body. By these distinctions of size and colouring, this P. germanica 
may be known from our common larger and dark pitchy-coloured 
Cockroach, vulgarly known as a ‘Black Beetle,” scientifically as 
Blatta (Periplaneta) orientalis, and there is the further distinction that 
while both males and females of the German Cockroach possess two 
pairs of wings, our own long established ‘‘ Black Beetle”’ is only 
winged in the male sex. The female is wingless, excepting some 
amount of rudimentary development chiefly, if not entirely, of the 
upper pair. 
In regard to various localities where the P. germanica has been 
seen, Mr. G. H. Carpenter, F.E.S., writing to me from the Museum 
of Science and Art, Kildare Street, Dublin, on May 21st, observed :— 
«‘ We have had outbreaks of the German Cockroach in the Zoological 
Garden here, and at one or two private houses.” 
I had also a somewhat interesting observation from a relative, 
resident in St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London, of an establishment 
of the ‘‘ Common Cockroach”’ in one part of a block of the buildings, 
and of the German Cockroach in another part of the same building, 
each kind living quite apart from the other. It was a matter of some 
speculation which kind would drive the other out, but at the last in- 
formation which I received, the German Cockroaches had disappeared. 
What had become of them was unknown; but some observations on 
‘‘The Migration of Cockroaches,” by Dr. L. O. Howard (Hntomologist 
of the U.S.A. Board of Agriculture), suggest that they may have 
possibly removed themselves elsewhere; but whether this was so or 
not, Dr. Howard’s note throws an important light on the reasons of 
occasionally unaccountable intrusion of this visitation. 
In the instance recorded, vast numbers of these ‘‘ Croton Bugs”’ 
were watched by Dr. Howard, Mr. P. H. Dorsett (one of the Depart- 
ment of Agriculture staff), and many others, making their way from 
the back of an old restaurant near the Department grounds at 
Washington, and trying to effect a lodgment at the opposite house. 
From this they were kept out with much difficulty, and only by 
strewing hot ashes along the side walk; the migrants when they 
could not go forward dividing right and left, and going down the 
neighbouring areas. On enquiry at the restaurant, it was found no 
measures had been taken to drive them away, and it was supposed 
that, as most of the Cockroaches were females carrying their egg-cases 
still undeposited (see figures 3 and 4, p. 24), they were under the 
