The Cockroach 
51 
disregard of the laws of sanitation and 
cleanliness, he has an important part to 
play, for be it remembered that though 
an invasion by cockroaches may be made 
into any premises, yet it is an established 
fact that the dirtier, the less ventilated a 
house is, so much more is it liable to be 
frequented by these insects. Cockroaches 
will readily leave an untenanted house 
where there is neither warmth nor food, 
and have been seen migrating in a long, 
continuous stream from one house to 
another. One case was brought under 
my notice some years ago where, like a 
long, dark snake, the cockroaches were 
leaving an empty house in search of 
pastures new. Any chinks or hollows in 
the plastering behind wainscotting will form 
suitable apartments for the cockroach. 
Cleanliness, free use of paint, the filling 
up of all uneven places with cement, 
the use of disinfectants, will all help to keep 
down number, while if they form a very 
numerous colony they may be first reduced 
by means of a beetle trap, many kinds of 
which are available, the best being a 
circular one, where there is a small 
