COCKCHAFFER COCKROACH. 



291 



change or metamorphosis which they are about to un- 

 dergo. If opened at this period, their strongly mus- 

 cular integument is found to be completely filled 

 with a mass of white, oily matter, resembling cream, 

 apparently destined as a reserve for the alimentation 

 of the insect during the period of its remaining in the 

 form of a nymph, which is scarcely less than six 

 months. To undergo their final change, these larves 

 bore into the earth to the depth of two feet or more, 

 where they form a rounded cavity, the sides of which 

 are smoothed and consolidated by the application of 

 a fluid disgorged from their mouths. The Jarve 

 being 1 thus secured, it soon begins to contract in 

 length, swells, and bursts its skin, coming therefrom 

 as a soft, whitish nymph, having all the members 

 shrunk and folded, uniformly arranged in the same 

 manner exhibiting the rudiments of elytra, antenna, 

 &c. The insect then gradually acquires consistence 

 and colour, becoming of a brownish hue. This state 

 continues about three months, by the end of which 

 time the insect disengages its wings, limbs, and an- 

 tennae, and assumes its rank as a perfect coleopter- 

 ous insect. It is in the month of February that the 

 larve changes to nymph. During the months of 

 March and April, it approaches the surface of the 

 earth, and, about the beginning of May, escapes from 

 its grovelling mode of life to soar through the air, 

 disporting in sunshine and shade. From this circum- 

 stance, the German trivial name of Maikafer, and the 

 English may-bug or beetle have been given. The 

 term cockchaffer, applied to the common species, is 

 evidently made up from the German. 



Cockchaffers, in their perfect state, pass the great- 

 er part of the day in a state of slumber or quietude, 

 on the leaves of the trees which they feed on, unless 

 disturbed by the too great heat of the sun which 

 arouses them to fly to the shade. At eventide, the 

 whole of this drowsy population take whig, for the 

 sake of procuring food. Their flight is loud, hum- 

 ming, and generally with the wind ; and so little is 

 the insect capable of directing its course, that it 

 strikes violently against every object in the way. 

 This peculiarity has given origin in France, to a pro- 

 verbial expression, applied to a thoughtless, blunder- 

 ing person, who is said to be as stupid as a may-bug ; 

 Etourdi comme un hanneton. 



The generative act of these insects has some pecu- 

 liarities. The male, which is generally smaller than 

 the female, and always cognizable by the greater size 

 of his foliated antennae, previous to this operation, is 

 very active. As soon however, as this object is ac- 

 complished, he seems to fall into a state of faintness 

 and lethargy, and the female, in flying from place to 

 place, carries him with her, hanging in a helpless, 

 inverted position, with his back downwards, and his 

 feet in the air. The male organs are quite singular, 

 being formed in such a manner that the organ con- 

 veying the fecundating fluid is introduced by the 

 aid of two elongated horns, which, by their approxi- 

 mation, form a sort of stiff point. These two pieces 

 lie over another, within which are muscles, that at 

 the proper moment, contract, and thus dilate the 

 sheath, which may be compared to a surgical dilator. 

 To this expansion of the sheath the adherence of the 

 sexes durint" the act of generation is owing. The 

 males perish as soon as they have fulfilled this great 

 object of their being, as they thenceforth cease to eat. 

 The fecundated female forsakes the trees for the 

 earth, into which, with her claws, she bores a hole 

 six or eight inches deep, in which she places from 

 fifty to eighty eggs. This completes the circle of 

 her actions, and she soon after dies ; though it has 

 been said, without any foundation in observation or 

 analogy, that the females, after laying their eggs, 

 resume their former habits, and live among the trees. 



COCK-FIGHTING. See Coc/c. 



COCK-PIT. See Cock. 



COCKROACH (blatta, Lin.); a genus of insect* 

 belonging to the orthopterous or straight-winged or- 

 der, characterized by an oval, elongated, depressed 

 body, which is smooth on its superior surface. The 

 head is inclined, short, and concealed under the 

 corselet; the antennae are long, bristly, formed of 

 numerous pieces, and inserted in a groove within the 

 eyes. The corselet is scutiform, covering the head 

 and origin of the elytra ; the abdomen is terminated 

 by two conical appendages. The legs are beset with 

 little spines ; the feet are long and compressed ; the 

 tarsi have five joints. They have a longitudinal crop 

 or craw ; the gizzard, or muscular stomach, is inter- 

 nally provided with strong hooked teeth : from eight 

 to ten caeca are found about the pylorus. 



These insects are among the most disagreeable of 

 the annoyances to which the dwellings of man are 

 subject, and, where their multiplication is permitted, 

 the ravages they commit are extensive and vexa- 

 tious. They are all nocturnal, and exceedingly agile ; 

 their flattened bodies allow them to hide, with ease, 

 in every crevice, whence they sally forth in hordes 

 during the night, to devour every sort of provision 

 which is not secured from their voracity. Like all 

 other depredators, they are thrown into confusion and 

 put to flight by the presence of light, whence they 

 were, in ancient times, appropriately called ludfugae, 

 orlight-shunners. . Their destructiveness is not confin- 

 ed to articles of provision for the table ; silk, woollen, 

 and even cotton cloths are devoured, or rendered use- 

 less by being gnawed through. At some seasons of 

 the year, when the male cockroaches fly about, they 

 are very troublesome, especially about twilight, when 

 they dash into rooms, and often strike against the 

 feces of those present, to the great alarm of females, 

 who generally dread them excessively. The pre- 

 sence of a light, it is true, would secure us against 

 such invasions from the cockroach, but a great num- 

 ber of other nocturnal insects would be attracted by 

 its glare, and induce a greater degree of annoyance. 

 When a cockroach takes refuge, or seeks conceal- 

 ment upon any person, he will inflict a smart bite, if 

 particularly hurt or alarmed. 



The sapient Sancho Panza declares, that there is a 

 remedy for everything but death ; and it is truly 

 happy for mankind, that the multiplication of this 

 pestilent race may be repressed by aid of their own 

 voracity. If to a quantity of Indian corn meal about 

 one-third of white or red lead is added, and the mix- 

 ture is moistened with molasses, so as to make it mo- 

 derately adhesive, the cockroaches will greedily de- 

 vour it. The repetition of this poisoned food for a 

 few nights is generally sufficient to reduce their num- 

 bers to a very few, even in the most infected houses, 

 and will eventually cause the destruction of the 

 whole. They may also be poisoned with prepara- 

 tions of arsenic, sublimate, &c., mixed with sugar 

 or molasses, of which they are very fond. Traps, 

 especially designed for their capture, are sometimes 

 to be found at the potteries. A paste-board or card 

 cover, well balanced upon two pins, and placed upon 

 the edge of a vessel, nearly filled with molasses and 

 water, makes a very good trap. The dish should 

 be so placed, that they can readily mount upon the 

 cover, which revolves on its axis whenever the equi- 

 librium is disturbed, and throws the cockroaches into 

 the fluid. 



Cockroaches, like other orthopterous insects, do 

 not undergo a complete metamorphosis : the larves 

 and nymphs resemble the perfect insect, except that 

 they have merely rudiments of wings. The females 

 lay their eggs successively and singly. The egg has 

 a very singular appearance, being large, cyluidric, 



T2 



