The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-25
ANTIQUITY OF THE cockRoAcH.
1t Is the Oldest of All Insects and of World
Wide Habitat.
(From the New York SUM

Learned savants and researchers tell us
that the most primitive of cockroaches
are found deep down in what are known
as the silurian rocks, which were formed
such countless ages ago that they don't
attempt to count them at all. They were
not very unlike their lineaI descendants
of today. the principal difference begin
as to their wings, and it is probable that
should one of these ancient creatures be
in some way resurrected and go scurry
ing across the kitchen floor, it would be
stepped on with as little thought and
conjunction as are its modern kindred.
AS these wings constitute the chief and
often the only means of studying their
species-The bodies having in most cases
been wholly dissolved by putrefaction-it
is, perhaps, worthy of note that their de-
velopment was moro perfect than in the
present varieties-excepting the hind or
under wings, which are almost identical
and that they are preserved in the fos-
sils to the minutest reticulation of the
membrane.
With the lapse of ages the forms and
shape of the wings gradually underwent
a change, or, rather, series of changes,
as well as the size of the body, and the
original family spread out into multi
tude of species. 1t has always been a
law of nature that all forms of life shall
advance from simple uniformity to q
complex diversity, or from homogeneity
to heterogeneity, end it is curious to OBJ
serve that no less than 1000 species exist
ing prior to the tertiary epoch when the
first mammal life was introduced into
the world, have been thus far discovered
and described, many of them. being
found in the coal measures OF Pennsyl-
vania and West Virginia. The investiga-
tions of late years have demonstrated in
fact that America. as is South America
today, was the most fruitful of any part
of the globe. both in its val etles and it's
mum bers. When we rsmemb Der that there
are at present 700 or 800 species and that
their numbers have been steadily decreas-
ing for some millions of years, and that
their kind once comprised one-half of the
ancient or paleozoic insects, we can form
some vague conception of the proportions
of our cockroach population of the past.
The oockroach Of modern times is COM
monty smaller than its progenitor, but,
being of the same rowing habits and in
quisitive nature, has become a famous
traveller in these days of worldwide COM
MERGE and communications. In the old
days-not to speak of the present days
the ships were overrun with them, as
we'll as with great hor5es of rats. and,
as they touched at this port and that on
their trading voyages, there occurred a
widespread scattering of species that has
Of ov.6
tribulation to their involuntary hosts.
1t was in this manner that the "black
beetle, - or cookroach Is supposed to have
been brought to this country and to Eur
ope from the East Indies Many kinds
have been carried from the West indies
and from Brazil to all parts of the world,
and from the island of Madeira to Brazil,
in turn; and the reddish American roach,
which somehow finds It's way into the
best regulated kitchens, and which was
originally indigenous to this continent
| is now common in every corner OF the
globe. II certain portions of Russia a
| cockroach exists which has wrought great
havoc in the breweries and distilleries
and whics, being generally thought to
come from Germany. is significantly
called 'sPrusseen." AS though in simple
retaliation. the same pest, which has long
| been Troublesome in Austria, is COM
monty ascribed to Russia, and is desig-
mated "Russen.
The United States and Europe, stamp
ing grounds that they have become for
| ali the oockroach vermin of the earth
| and particularly of the Orient-have.
nevertheless, much reason to be thankful
! that one variety at least, the gigantic
cockroach, has thus far found it impos-
| sible to flourish within their confines.
| The creature, which frequently grows to
a length of more than three inches, and
is the only species that has retained the
| size of the great reaches of the past, is q
native of Brazil and of the West Indies.
and there was a story that went the
rounds of the newspapers some time ago.
| of an unWary tourist who narrowly es-
capped losing his life at their hands, or,
| rather, their months, while camping in
| the wilds of the former country. 1t
would probably be difficult to substsntiate
| this tale, but there is no doubt that it is
| a most voracious insect 1t is a common
belief among the aboriginal natives CT
Brazil that the monster will not hesitate
! to attack openly dying or injured ami
NAL, or even man, and it is a well-known
| fact that they will often annoy a sleeping
person by crawling over the face and body
| and gnawing at the toe and finger nails
| The noise produced by this insect, which
| is known as the drummer" in the trop-
| les by a peculiar rubbing together of the
wings resembles a sharp knocking or
drumming of the knuckles upon hollow
board or wainscot, and is said to be most
| Irritating at night when performed in
| concert with others.
The habits OF the cockroach the world
over are much the same. Everywhere
thew are the followers and unwelcome
ouests of man. Like the ravens of the
Hnorth oountrie," of which DR.. Hender-
son has told us, "where he goes they 60"
keeping out of his sight by day-except
| ing some South American varieties-and
feasting by night, for which they were
aptIy termed by the old naturalists Iu-
| oifugoe, or ''hyers from light" Their
diet, however, is necessarily varied, from
their wide distribution. The giant roach,
as has been intimated, is often carniv-
orous in it's tastes, but, taken as fami-
| ly, the cockroaches are extremely omniv-
orous. In these attitudes their menu
consists of whatever is best in the larder
or the pantry, and they are particularly
partial, as many can attest, to glutinous
and sugar foods, such as carefully pre-
pared pastries and CONNECTIONS. Their
| cunning is surpassed by no other insect.
and they are past grand masters in the
childre1i's games Of 'peek-a-boo'' and
| "hide. and-seek, when hunted or pur-
sued by an enemy. On such occasions,
when the danger is past or passing. in