49 NATURAL HISTORY. - 
to black: the fhield that lies over the breaft is plain and oval, and thé 
cafes of the wings are alfo of an oval fhape; they are fomewhat fhorter 
than the body, and a little tranfparent: there are three freaks tpoa 
each, the middlemoft of which is raifed, and the more inward hollow 
and crooked : there are two prickles on the tail, and the legs are alfa 
prickly: the female has only the rudiments of the wings, and their 
cafes.. It never appears in the day time, and therefore.is faid to be — 
a hater of the light. It is very common in mills and bakers houfess 
Linneus calls this a Blatta. , 
The yellow &/atta is not much larger than a flie, and the fhield that 
covers the breaft is membranaceous, of an oval fhape, and marginated. 
The cafes of the wings are membranaceous and tranfparent, of a brown- 
ifh colour, and have raifed ftreaks, with black {pots thereon: the legs 
Jook like horns, and are prickly, and the feelers are long; there aré 
alfo two articulated horns or prickles above the vent. It is not met 
with in Eagland, but is common in Lapland, for which reafon, it is cal- 
ed by Linnaeus the Lapland Blatta. 
The American Blatia or Cockroach, is of a reddifh-brown colours 
It is a very troublefome deftruétive infect, and are fo numerous and vo- 
racious, that“tt is impoffible to keep victuals of any kind from being de= 
voured by them, without clofe covering: they eat not only leather, but 
linen and paper: they difappear in winter, and are moft numerous in the 
hotteft days of fummer ; but what mifchief they dois chiefly in the night. 
Thefe infedts lay their eggs in heaps, which they wrap all round in a 
bag or web, in the manner of fome {piders. When the eggs are hatch- 
ed, the young ones appear quite perfect, and run out of their fhells 
very nimbly. At firft they are no bigger than Ants, for which reafom 
they creep through cracks and key-holes, and into boxs and cheftsy 
where they gnaw and fpoil every thing they can come at. They have 
two very long horns or feelers, fix hairy legs, with two claws at the 
ends like forks, and the head is black, with a reddith round circle 
on the upper parts. When it is arrived at its full growth, it cafts 
its fkin, which burfts on its back, and then the Cock Roach is perfealy 
formed. The wings are foft and tender, being at firlt whitith, and 
after of a reddifh colour ; but the head, horns, and the remaining parts, 
are of the fame fhape and colour as before. its {kin was thrown off. 
The infeds that Linneus places under the name of Gryl/us, has briftly 
feelers, membranaceous covers of the wings, which are narrow, ané 
in the fhape of the infeéts of the Flie kind, and their legs are proper 
for leaping. ; 
The Houfe-cricket is a very inoffenfive and pretty animal. Though 
there be a fpecies of this infect that lives entirely in the woods and fields. 
yet that with which we are belt acquainted is the Houfe-cricket, whofe 
voice is. fo well known behind a country fire in a winter’s evening. 
There is fomething fo unufval in héaring a found while we do not fee 
the animal producing it, ner difcover the place from whence it comes, | 
that among the country people the chirping of the cricket is always 
held ominous; and whether it deferts the fire-fide, or pays an unexpec- _ 
ted vifit, the credulous peafaniry always find fomething to be afraid of — 
In general, however, the killing of a cricket is confidered as a moft un+ 
lucky omen; and though their company is not much defired, yet no’ 
methods muft be taken to remove them. RS 
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