ORDER VI. ORTHOPTERA. — COCKROACHES. 293 
kind of pair of pincers, resembling those which the jewellers used formerly 
for piercing the ears, preparatory to inserting ear-rings, whence the French 
name of this creature, Perce Oreille, or Ear Piercer, and the English name 
Earwig. These insects live chiefly on the petals and stamens of flowers. 
They shun the light, and dwell in the cracks of trees, or under bark and 
stones. The female guards her eges with much care, and watches over her 
larvex, for a considerable time, with maternal solicitude. 
Buarra. — These Orthoptera have a flat, broad body, the thorax very 
much developed, the antenna very long, and the legs thin but strong, which 
enable them to run with remarkable quickness. They diffuse around them 
a sickening odor, which often hangs about objects they have touched. Aris- 
tophanes, the comic Greek poet, mentions this peculiarity in his comedy of 
“The Peace.” They come out mostly at night, and hide themselves during 
the day. They are the most cosmopolitan of all insects. Carried over in 
ships, they perpetuate everywhere, like weeds! Persian powder, com- 
posed of pulverized pyrethra, is an excellent means to employ for their 
destruction. A paste made of sugar of lead, flour, and molasses will also 
destroy them. 
The generic name Glatta is derived from the Greek word Llaptein, which 
signifies to damage, and well indicates the destructive character of these 
insects. These disagreeable animals devour our eatables, abounding in 
kitchens, in bakers’ shops, on board merchant vessels, &c. Their flattened 
bodies allow them easily to introduce themselves into the cracks of cases or 
barrels ; so that, to be safe against their attacks, it is necessary, on long 
voyages, to shut up the goods in zinc-lined boxes, or cases made of sheet 
iron well soldered together. 
Chammisso rejates that the sailors having opened some barrels, which 
should have contained rice and wheat, found them filled with German 
Cockroaches — Llatta Germanica. This transubstantiation was not very 
agreeable to the crew! Other naturalists have seen this insect invading by 
millions bottles which had contained oil. The Cockroach is very fond also 
of the blacking on boots, and devours leather and all. One pupa eats the 
skin cast off by another pupa; but a Cockroach has never been known to 
attack another with a view to eating him afterwards. 
The Aakerlaec Americana is from one inch to one inch and a quarter 
long. It infests ships, running about at night over the sleeping passengers, 
and devouring the food. They are to be met with in all parts of ao world. 
They abound particularly in the warm parts of America. 
The Blatta Orientalis is more commonly met with than the above. It 
swarms in kitchens, and bakers’ shops, provision shops, &c., where it hides 
NO. XVII. 90 
