CLASS I. INSECTA: ORDER 8. ORTIIOPTERA. 



589 



plete nuisance. Though now so common all over Europe and America, they are supposed to 



have been origiiuilly natives of India, and to have been grad- 

 ually carried westward by the progress of commerce. This 

 and another species, the B. Americana^ are very common 

 on board ships, where they tind plentiful nourishment among 

 the merchandise, and on shore they are usually most abund- 

 ant in seaport towns. They are all nocturnal in their habits, 

 concealing tliemselves in dark holes during the day, but 

 coming out of their hiding-places when the lights are 

 extinguished. On the introduction of a light into the 

 scene of their nocturnal prowlings, they may be seen hur- 

 rying away in great disorder toward the nearest place of 

 \ concealment. The common Cockroach, and some allied spe- 

 cies, appear to have the faculty of devouring eveiy thing that 

 comes in their way, whether of an animal or vegetable 

 nature ; and when they occur in great numbers, the damage 

 they do to provisions and many other articles is excessive. 

 They also usually communicate a disagreeable smell to ob- 

 jects which they liave touched, so that they often spoil more 

 than they actually consume. A large species, Blatta fj'icjantca, 

 common in the West Indies, is there known by the name of 

 the Drummer^ from its curious habit of making a knock- 

 ing noise during the night. This noise is frequently kept up 

 all night, the insects alternately answering each other, to the great annoyance of those living 



in the house thus infested. This 

 species is also said occasionally to 

 attack people when asleep, and, as 

 if its other habits were not sufficient 

 ^^^^^ to create a prejudice against it, it 



I N — ^ ^^^^&-*i^ \ sometimes devours the extremities 



of the dead. 



EARWIGS. 



THE COMMON COCKROACH. 



THE MANTINA. 



These insects principally inhabit 

 warm countries, and from their habits 

 have acquired great celebrity. Car- 

 rying their long fore-legs, armed with 

 formidable spines, aloft in the air, 

 they creep slowly along, and their 

 whole attitude is so solemn that they 

 are regarded Avith veneration by the 

 inhabitants of the countries in which they occur. In the south of Europe they are called Praijiiuj- 

 Beetles (see p. 697), or by names indicative of the belief that their singular attitude is one of prayer. 

 According to ancient legends this creature has not always confined itself to silent devotion; for 

 we are told that one of them, on being desired by St. Francis Xavier to sing the praises of God, 

 immediately chanted a beautiful canticle. Another prevalent superstition regarding these 

 creatures is, that if they be asked the way to a place they immediately indicate the right road 

 by holding one of their legs in that direction — hence the name of Soothsayers often applied to 

 these insects, and the Greek word Mantis has the same signification. Unfortunately, however, 

 all these amiable qualities are purely imaginary. The Mantis is one of the most voracious of its 

 class, and only assumes this solemn and devout appearance for the beguilement of its unsuspecting 

 I victims: it is also exceedingly quarrelsome. We have no large species of mantis among us, but 

 1 smaller ones are occasionally met with. 



