THE GRASSHOPPER AND ITS ALLIES 9 



among other things, breadstuffs, clothing, book-bindings, 

 bedbugs, and other insects. We have also a number of 

 native cockroaches, which live chiefly in fields and woods, 

 under stones and logs. Some of these are wingless (Fig. 7). 



The following groups are frequently excluded from the 

 Orthoptera, but show a certain relationship with them : 



The Forficulidae, 1 or earwigs, are rare in the northern 

 United States, but commoner in the Gulf and Pacific States. 

 In general appearance they resemble rove-beetles, but differ 

 from them in having a pair of forceps at the posterior end 

 of the body. They hide, during the day, in the corollas of 



, ,^j 



FIG. 8. Two North American Odonata, belonging to the family Libellululro. 

 About one-half nat. size. Photo, by V. H. L. 



flowers, upon which they feed, and fly about at night. The 

 name earwig seems to have arisen from an unwarranted 

 belief that these insects penetrate into the ears of persons 

 when asleep. They were especially dreaded on account 

 of a fear that they might thus penetrate into the brain. 



The Odonata, 2 or dragon-flies, have four membranous, net- 

 veined wings, of which the front pair are never larger than 

 the hind ones. Their large heads carry relatively enormous 

 eyes. Two groups of dragon-flies may be distinguished 

 according as the wings, at rest, are extended (Fig. 8) or 



1 forficula, a small forceps. 



2 (55ous, tooth, from the teeth of the mandibles. 



