ORTHOPTERA : FORFICULARI.E. 443 



PEDICULID^:, Leach, OR LICE FAMILY. This Family 

 comprises degraded wingless hemiptera, which have the 

 mouth-parts in the form of a fleshy retractile sucker. 



The Genus Pediculus contains those which are para- 

 sitic on man, and some of the brutes. Different varieties 

 are found on the different races of men. The Genus 

 Mallophaga includes those that live on birds. 



SUB-SECTION VI. 



THE SUB-ORDER OF ORTHOPTERA, OR STRAIGHT-WINGED INSECTS. 



THE Sub-Order of Orthoptera embraces insects whose 

 wings lie straight along the top or sides of the back, the 

 upper ones being somewhat thick and opaque, and some- 

 times slightly overlapping, and the under ones larger, 

 thin, and folded in plaits like a fan. They do not under- 

 go a complete transformation in coming to maturity, but 

 the young are constantly active, feeding and growing, and 

 differ from the adults only in size, and in having only the 

 rudiments of wings, and in frequently changing their 

 skins. At length, having shed their skins for the sixth 

 and last time, they come forth perfect insects, without 

 having passed through the inactive phase of the pupa 

 state. The families are arranged according to Latreille. 



FORFICULARI.E, Latr., OR EARWIG FAMILY. This Fam- 

 ily comprises orthopterous insects which have the body 

 long, somewhat flattened, and armed at Fig 

 the hind extremity with a pair of slender 

 sharp-pointed blades or nippers, which 

 open and shut horizontally. They pre- 

 fer cool and damp places, collect under 

 stones and the bark of trees, creep into 

 crevices, fly at night, devour fruits, and 

 defend themselves with their pincers. It 

 has been said that they crawl into the ear. Earwig ' 



