COCKROACHES. 21 



its thorax. One is seen cleaning its under side ; another its hind 

 leg. These are all set as they were seen in life. 



Another common species is Phyllodroma germanica (1 1 72). This 

 insect appears to belong more to Northern Europe. It was rarely 

 met with in England until comparatively recently, but has spread 

 rapidly in London and is now a great pest. There are three British 

 cockroaches which are found in woods and among furze bushes or 

 heaths. These are all small species. Some of the species found in 

 the tropics are of considerable size, especially those of the genus 

 Blabera (1186) and MegaloUatta (1173), some of which measure 

 nearly six inches in expanse of the wings. Some species bear a close 

 resemblance to Coleoptera. Phoraspis picta (1174) and Coryclia 



Fig. 19. 



Perisphceria glomeriformis, twice natural size. (1189.) 

 a, underside ; b, side view when rolled. 



petiveriana (1 1 90) are good mimics of Tortoise-beetles. Prosoplecta 

 coccinella resembles a Ladybird (see drawing). 



Perisphceria (1189) can roll itself up into a 'ball (after the 

 manner of an Armadillo, or wood-louse) ; the end segment of the 

 body fits exactly into the front of the prothorax, so that the head 

 and legs are completely hidden and protected (fig. 19). 



Female Cockroaches may often be found carrying their eggs in 

 a capsule at the end of the body. The eggs are arranged in this 

 capsule in two rows, upright like sacks, alternately right and left, 

 with a single one at each end, the whole being covered with secretion 

 which hardens into a leathery substance (see drawing). The struc- 

 ture is very similar to that of the egg-mass of the Mantidce, but in 

 those each sack contains several eggs ; in the Blattidw each sack 

 contains but one egg. The number of eggs in the whole capsule varies. 



Panesthia jai'anica (1192) appears to be \iviparous, as the 



