The Cockroach 
49 
“Blatta Orientalis,” or common cockroach, 
was not originally found in any part of 
Europe, while now it is to be found in most 
parts. The familiar cockroach has some 
very formidable relatives that are less 
popular even than himself. 
The “ Blatta Americana,” which not infre- 
quently comes over from America in ships 
trading with that country, especially in 
grain, is much larger in size, and is fre- 
quently to be met with in comfortable 
quarters on this side. He is very kindly 
disposed to those places where there is 
plenty of warmth, such as bakehouses, 
hotel kitchens, etc. Then there is one 
other kind which is worthy of mention — the 
Great Cockroach, or “Blatta Gigantica” — 
sometimes called “ the Drummer,” because 
of his peculiarity in tapping or drumming 
on woodwork — a noise which, when made 
by a number of workers in unison, is quite 
irritating and disturbing, and is as loud at 
times as the noise made by a rat which has 
found a lodging beneath the floor or behind 
the wood-work of a room. This insect 
attains a length of two inches, with a 
wing spread "of three inches. Cockroaches 
