THE YOUNG NATURALIST. 



63 



Chester. It is also abundant in most maritime cities and towns, in 

 warehouses, grocery establishments, and similar places. It often swarms in 

 ships, where its ravages are sometimes so great that barrels of rice, corn, or 

 other provisions are completely destroyed by them. Like the others they 

 eject a dark coloured fluid from their mouths of a most disagreeable odour, 

 which is extremely difficult to get rid of, and which attaches itself to whatever 

 they walk over. The tegmina and wings are fully developed in both sexes, 

 but are a little shorter and broader in the female. They are nocturnal in 

 their habits, hiding during the day in crevices. They are fond of heat, and 

 are generally to be found near boilers, bakehouses, fireplaces, &c. They 

 devour bread-crumbs, flour, meat, cheese, woollen-clothes, shoes, and even the 

 blacking on the latter. 



Blatta lapponica. — This species is said by Linnaeus to swarm in the 

 huts of the Laplanders, and in conjunction with Silpha lapponica occasionally 

 to devour the whole stock of dried fish in a single day. There appears to be 

 some doubt about the species, as Curtis states that the English insect known 

 by that name is sometimes abundant in the New Forest on ferns. It is also 

 said to occur on whitethorn at Reading, and on Parley Heath, Dorset. 



Aeheta domestica. — The common cricket, is distinguished by the 

 great length of its antennae, the horizontal position of the wings and wing- 

 cases when at rest, and when folded up forming a pair of long and slender 

 Aliments, often extending far beyond the extremity of the body, The jaws 

 are strong, with several acute transverse teeth ; the maxillae are slender, with 

 two acute terminal teeth. The abdomen is terminated by two long inarticu- 

 late setae, gradually attenuated to the tip. It is a well known inhabitant of 

 our houses, frequenting rooms on the ground floor, and preferring the warmer 

 places near the fireplace, into the mortar of which they burrow almost close 

 to the fire. There are probably few people who are not acquainted with the 

 chirrup of the cricket, but their habit of flying into our faces and frequently 

 into our food makes them obnoxious. I have often enticed them out of 

 their burrows with bread-crumbs, which they seized and carried off into the 

 recesses of their habitations. They are nocturnal in their habits, fond of 

 moisture, and will eat any household refuse, such as the scumming of pots. 

 They are often drowned in broth, milk, &c. ; they are fond of beer, and may 

 be caught in bottles half filled with it and set near their haunts. Although 

 I like to hear their cheerful chirrup, I generally give them notice to quit, by 

 putting Scotch snuff in their burrows, which I find to have the desired effect. 



Ciphlorophum domestcium. — A small species of ant, like so many of 

 our domestic insects, an importation. It was almost unknown fifty years ago, 



