106 COLLECTION AND PRESERVATION OF INSECTS. 



habit houses, mills, and bakehouses ; and the mole-cricket 

 burrows in the loose soil of marshy commons, banks, and 

 moist gardens. Cockroaches, like crickets, seek the habi- 

 tations of men, and, as regards the larger species, are 

 never to be found in a perfectly wild state in this country. 

 Earwigs secrete themselves in cracks and crevices by day, 

 and in the night devour the petals of flowers, and when 

 they can obtain an entrance, the pulpy parts of ripe fruit. 



Hemiptera are mostly found on trees and shrubs : the 

 plant-bugs are known to every one by their very disagree- 

 able smell ; a collection of them is only to be obtained 

 by beating into a clap-net. Three or four species inhabit 

 the larch fir; two inhabit the juniper; one the furze; 

 others do not appear attached to any particular species of 

 plant, but seem to love variety: although they are furnished 

 with wings they are rarely to be seen on the wing ; they 

 fly heavily, slowly, and a very short distance at a time. 

 Aphites, blights or plant-lice, are also found on vegetables, 

 and the singular little frog-hoppers, or cuckoo-spittle 

 insects in the same situations. A few of the Hemiptera, 

 as the water-measurer and water-boatman, frequent stag- 

 nant pools, canals, or the still places in running streams ; 

 the former may be seen skimming over the surface, its 

 body and legs being armed with a velvety down, which 

 prevents it ever becoming wet ; the boatman dives under 

 the water, occasionally coming to the surface for a supply 

 of air; the long legs projecting from its sides have much 

 the appearance of oars, and it uses them for the same 

 purpose, propelling itself through the water by powerful 

 and simultaneous strokes. These aquatic Hemiptera are 

 only to be taken in the water-net. 



Lastly, the Neuroptera are of varied manners, and have 

 various propensities. The dragon-flies have a more pow- 

 erful and rapid flight than any other insects ; like swallows, 



