120 OUR HOUSEHOLD INSECTS 



his antennae to and fro, and watching me closely. If I 

 reached out my hand from bed to get a stick, or raised 

 my book to throw it at him, he dropped at once on 

 the deck, and was forthwith out of harm's way. He 

 bothered me much, because, when my light was out, 

 he had a familiar habit of coming to sip the moisture 

 from my face and lips, which was decidedly unpleasant, 

 and awoke me often from a doze. I believe it was 

 with this object that he watched me before I went 

 to sleep. I often had a shot at him with a book or 

 other missile as he sat on the book-shelf, but he 

 always do l dged and escaped. His quickness and agility 

 astonished me. At last I triumphed by adopting the 

 advice of Captain Maclear, and shooting him with a 

 pellet of paper from my air-gun, a mode of attack for 

 which he was evidently unprepared." 



On board ship cockroaches, of one kind or other, often 

 do much damage. Mr. R. H. Lewis speaks of two 

 kinds of them attacking a cargo of 300 cases of cheeses. 

 Holes had been left in the packages to prevent the 

 cheeses from "sweating," and the cockroaches thus 

 found entrance and damaged them considerably, devour- 

 ing a great quantity and befouling all. Their disgusting 

 odour, arising from a foetid fluid poured out from the 

 mouth, renders them far more obnoxious than they 

 would otherwise be, and often causes food to be spoiled 

 by their proximity. 



In the perfect condition the male and female cock- 

 roaches differ considerably. The males are smaller 

 and less robust than the females ; they stand higher 

 on their legs, i.e., do not allow their abdomens to trail 

 along the ground as their partners do, and are furnished 

 with two pairs of wings, the females being apterous, 

 or nearly so. The upper pair of wings, called elytra 



