The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1894-05-12
IMMIGRANT FROM LAPLAND.

1t VIII doubtless prove a gratifying
piece of information about an old and
familiar and almost friendly enemy
that he halls from Lapland originally.
The entomologist states that, ''al-
though the cockroach is a universal
feeder, it prefers wheat -four to all
other articles of diet 1t is, therefore,
common pest about bakeshops, and,
Notwithstanding the utmost care on
the part of the baker, it sometimes be-
comes imbedded IN the dough and
baked in the loaf" This rather unex-
pected defense of the baker on the part
of the entomologist is not as appeasing
to your displeasure as the scientist
would doubtless have it, as you pluck
the plump and well preserved ectobia
from your roll and deposit it on the
edge of your plate as though it were 3
raisin.
The entomologist confesses to neg
1ect on the part of science of this fam
lily Blattadae to which the cockroach
belongs. However, he mentions list
of nine hundred different species CLASH
fed in the British museum. He other
wise defends them by pronouncing
them the best household scavengers, as
they devour all small vermin in their
usual nightly patrol The eggs of this
insect, he informs us are all laid at
one time and are encased in purse
like pod. The egg cases are of the
same elastic material that covers the
bodies of the insects themselves, and
when the young escape it closes again
and the empty shell is left behind her.
Ergo-when you discover one of these
shells. instead Of congratulating your
self that an old patriarch has been
gathered to his fathers, know for
certainty that a new generation has
just been launched upon your pantry
shelves.
While the entomologist Classics the
cockroach and makes a synopsis of him,
the unscientifc but ob.ervant head of
the culinary department becomes on
even closer terms of intimacy with
him. Friendly, feet-footed, and pro-
life, self-preservation is deep-rooted in
his nature, and shyness, suspicion, and
rare intelligence are his qualifications.
He abhors solitude, and when the
family moves to be rid of him, as
families do in the spring time, he
moves with them. Perchance but one
of him moves, but he rallies whole
armies to the new field. He is like the
wind that listeth-you cannot tell
whence it cometh nor whittier he
goeth He is perpetual Other en-
tomological domestic attachments,
more or less active, fragrant, and an
moving, manifest a disposition to alb
sent themselves for an occasional
season, but the cockroach is like the
poor, with you always
He intrudes on the sacred recesses OF
the iarder and the refrigerator. He
swims in the cream, soup, finds death
sweet in the sirup pitcher, bakes in
the bread, scalds in the soup tureen, is
mangled in the pancake batter, and
hides in the coffee pot. He gambols
over the best china and holds 'conven.
tons in the flour barrel He shuns
surreptitious traps and tid-bits planned
for his destruction, and with unparal-
leled wisdom lodges out OF sight on the
approach of the enemy. The domestic
department knows him as he is-knows
him through living conflicts waged
winter ana summer-and could con-
tribute facts of personal nature to
the aspect he beaxs to the entomoiog.
tSt