INSECTA. 
558 
the tonguelet is fui-cate ; the thorax is plate-like. The second joint of the tarsi is simply dilated 
beneath, near the tip, or in form of a reversed heart, and not notched. These insects have been very 
carefully investigated in respect to their internal anatomy, by Messrs. Ramdohr, Posselet, Marcel de 
Serres, and especially by Leon Dufour, in the Annales des Sci. Nat., vol. xiii. From their anatomical 
characters they appear to L. Dufour to constitute a distinct order, which he names Labidoures. 
Mr. Kirby had also previously proposed the name of Dermaptera for them as an order. * 
These insects are very common in damp situations, where they often assemble in troops under 
stones, and the bark of trees ; they do much injury to the fruits of our gardens, [devouring also the 
petals of flowers], as well as the bodies of their dead companions, defending themselves with their 
forceps, of which the form varies according to the sex. It is a vulgar notion that they creep into the 
ear of sleeping persons ; this, however, is the origin of their French name, Perce-oreille [English name. 
Earwig ; German name, Ohrwurm, &c.] 
[The species has been distributed into a considerable number of subgenera by Leach, Serville, and Burmeister.j 
Latreille divides them, in a note, into 
Forficula proper, which has not more than 14 joints to the antennse. 
Forficula auricularia, is more than half-an-inch long, brown, shiny, with a reddish head, the 
sides of the thorax grey, and the feet yellow-ochre coloured. The female guards her eggs with 
much care, as well as her young, for a considerable time. 
Forficula minor (the small Earwig), is much smaller, and has 11- or 12-jointed antennse ; it 
forms Leach’s genus Labia. 
Forficesila, Latr,, has more than 14 joints to the antennae. [F. gigantea, the type of Leach’s 
genus Lahidura, with 30 joints to the antennse.] 
CJielidura, Latr., is wingless. 
The second genus, that of 
Blatta, Linn., 
Has five joints to all the tarsi ; the wings are only folded longitudinally ; the head 
hidden beneath the large plate of the prothorax, and the body is orbieular, or oval, and flattened. 
The antennae are filiform, inserted in an inner notch of the eyes, long, and composed of a very great 
number of joints; the palpi are long; the prothorax shield-like; the wing-covers are ordinarily as 
long as the abdomen, coriaceous or semimembranous, and crossing each other slightly at the suture. 
The posterior extremity of the abdomen presents two conical and articulated appendages ; the tibiae 
are very spinose. 
The Blattae [or Coekroaches] are noeturnal inseets, exceedingly active, some living in the interior 
of our houses, especially kitchens, bake-houses, and corn-mills. Others are found in the country. 
They are very voracious, consuming all kinds of provisions. The species found in the French colonies 
are there termed Kakerlacs, and greatly annoy the inhabitants by the mischief they commit, attacking 
not only eatables, but gnawing also woollen and silk materials, and even shoes ; they will also eat 
other insects. Some species of Sphex make war 
upon them. 
[The species are very numerous, and have lately been 
formed into a considerable number of genera by Serville 
and Burmeister ; Latreille, however, retained them under 
the single genus Blatta.'] 
Blatta orientalis [the common Cockroach] is an inch 
long ; the male is furnished with wings shorter than the 
abdomen; the female has only short rudiments. The 
eggs, 16 in number, are symmetrically arranged in an 
oval compressed case, which is at first white, but subse- 
quently brown and solid, denticulated on one side ; the 
female carries it about with her for some time at the 
extremity of the body ; she then attaches it to various 
substances by means of a gummy secretion. This species 
is a scourge both to the inhabitants of Russia and Fin- 
land. It has been supposed to have come from South 
America, whilst others give Asia as its native country. 
* Dr. Leach divided the other Orthoptera into two other orders. I 
Those with the wings folded longitudinally, and with the wing covers 
meeting in a straight line, were his Orthoptera ; and those with the 1 
elytra crossing each other, and the wings similarly placed, form his 
order Uictj'optera {Blatta'^ . 
