CLASS I. INSECTA: ORDER 8. ORTIIOPTERA. 
689 
plete nuisance. Though now so common all over Europe and America, they are supposed to 
have been originally 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 find 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 themselves in dark holes during the day, but 
coming out of their hiding-places when the lights are 
extino-uished. On the introduction of a lio'ht 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 every 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 have touched, so that they often spoil more 
than they actually consume. A large species, Blatta gigantea, 
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 
sometimes devours the extremities 
of the dead. 
EAKWIGS. 
THE COMMON COCKBOACH. 
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 with veneration by the 
inhabitants of the countries in which they occur. In the south of Europe they are called Praying- 
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 Sootlisayers 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 
victims: it is also exceedingly quarrelsome. We have no large species of mantis among us, but 
smaller ones are occasionally met with. 
