144 SUBDIVISIONS OF ORTHOPTERA; BLATTID^E. 



thighs of the hind-legs are of disproportionate length, and are 

 adapted for leaping. These two groups also differ in the 

 arrangement of the wing-covers and wings, when closed ; for 

 they usually rest horizontally in the body (and consequently 

 more in the manner of those of the Beetles) in the first ; whilst 

 in the second they generally meet at an angle, like the two sides 

 of a roof. The second section is further distinguished by the 

 creaking sound, which the males have usually the power of 

 emitting, by the friction of their legs against the elytra, or of 

 one elytron upon the other. 



727. The first section may be divided into three families, 

 which differ considerably from each other in general form, the 

 BLATTIDJS, 01 Cockroaches ; the MAMTID^E, or Mantis tribe ; 

 and the PHASMID^, or Spectre insects. In the first of these, the 

 legs are adapted for running ; in the second, the fore-legs are 

 converted into claws for seizing the prey ; and in the third, the 

 limbs are adapted only for walking or creeping. The BLATTIDJE 

 are in many respects intermediate between the Forficulidae and 

 the more typical Orthoptera j in fact, their general resemblance 



FIG. 464. BLATTA ORIKNTALIS, MALE AND FEMALE. 



to the Coleoptera occasions them to be commonly regarded as 

 Beetles. These well-known insects are now pretty gene-rail 



sm-rally 



