267 



which themselves are long and powerful and, when closed, reach beyond 

 the tip of the abdomen. The species flies freely in the open air, but 

 when it has once become comfortably domiciled in a kitchen or other 

 favorable location it shows little disposition to use the wings, and, 

 whenever suprised in its nocturnal foraging by sudden light of gas or 

 candle, is content to scramble away on foot — frightened itself, yet too 

 often frightening the overtimid and nervous. 



The other two species have been introduced into this country from 

 Europe, and indeed have been carried all over the world in ships, in 

 which they particularly thrive, rendering even large vessels on long 

 tropical journeys almost uninhabitable to fastidious persons. This is 

 particularly true of the larger of the two, which is commonly called " the 

 Oriental cockroach " (Periplaneta orientalis). This species is nearly 

 black in color, and is not so large as the American roach, seldom reach- 

 ing an inch in length. Its wings are also much shorter, not quite reach- 

 ing to the tip of the abdomen. Its uniform, very dark mahogany color, 

 is unmottled with yellow and its antennge are relatively shorter than 

 in the former species. It flies well, but not so strongly as americana. 

 It swarms in enormous numbers in the holds of vessels, in basement 

 kitchens, and in all dirty, damp places the world over, and is the most 

 noisome and thoroughly disagreeble of all our household pests. A 

 visit at nightfall to a badly infested room is by no means a pleasant 

 experience, even to those not troubled with delicate nerves. 



The third species is popularly known all over the country as the 

 " Croton bug," although more properly it might be called the " German 

 cockroach," for its scientific name is Phyllodromia germanica. It is also 

 a European species and derives its common name from the fact that 

 its first appearance in force in this country was synchronous with the 

 completion of the Oroton system of water-works in New York City. It 

 had in all probability been brought over many years before, but had 

 remained comparatively unnoticed until the extension of the water- 

 works, with their numerous pipes in all residences and places of busi- 

 ness, encouraged rapid spread and multiplication; for this species is 

 more fond of water than the other two mentioned, and is often carried 

 by pressure through water-pipes without injury. 



The Oroton bug is the most prominent cockroach in America to-day, 

 and really does the most damage. It is enormously fecund, and its 

 small size enables it to hide and breed in cracks into which the Orien- 

 tal or American roaches could hardly push their front feet. When full- 

 grown it never exceeds five-eighths of an inch from the front of the 

 head to the tip of the closed wings, and it is much lighter in color than 

 either of the others. Its color varies considerably, but it is usually of a 

 very light brown with two darker longitudinal stripes on the thorax. 



It is this species which I have chosen to figure in detail on account of 

 its greater abundance and powers of destruction and from the fact that 

 it occurs very numerously in northern localities where tlie other species 



