"The _cock-roaches_ are another race of pestiferous beings, equally noisome and mischievous to natives or strangers, but particularly to collectors. These nasty and voracious insects fly out in the evenings, and commit monstrous depredations; they plunder and erode all kinds of victuals, drest and undrest, and damage all sorts of clothing, especially those which are touched with powder, pomatum, and similar substances; every thing made of leather, books, paper, and various other articles, which, if they do not destroy, at least they soil, as they frequently deposit a drop of their excrement where they settle, and some way or other, by that means damage what they cannot devour. They fly into the flame of candles, and sometimes into the dishes; are very fond of ink and of oil, into which they are apt to fall and perish. In this case they soon turn most offensively putrid, so that a man might as well sit over the cadaverous body of a large animal, as write with the ink in which they have died. They often fly into persons' faces or bosoms, and their legs being armed with sharp spines, the pricking excites a sudden horror not easily described. In old houses they swarm by myriads, making every part filthy beyond description wherever they harbour, which in the day time is in dark corners, behind all sorts of clothes, in trunks, boxes, and, in short, every place where they can lie concealed. In old timber and deal houses, when the family is retired at night to sleep, this insect, among other disagreeable properties, has the power of making a noise which very much resembles a pretty smart knocking with the knuckle upon the wainscotting. The Blatta Gigantea of Linnæus in the West Indies are therefore frequently known by the name of Drummers. Three or four of these noisy creatures will sometimes be impelled to answer one another, and cause {71}such a drumming noise, that none but those who are very good sleepers can rest for them. What is most disagreeable, those who have not gauze curtains are sometimes attacked by them in their sleep. The sick and dying have their extremities attacked, and the ends of the toes and fingers of the dead are frequently stripped of both skin and flesh." BLATTA (BLABERUS) GIGANTEA? Plate XXXVI. fig. 2. ORDER: Orthoptera. SECTION: Cursoria. FAMILY: Blattidæ. GENUS. BLATTA, _Linn. &c._ (SUBGENUS: Blaberus, _Serville_.) BLATTA (BLABERUS) GIGANTEA? Livida, thoracis clypeo maculâ quadratâ fuscâ, capite ferrugineo, elytris vittâ fuscâ longitudinali. (Long. Corp. cum elytris 2 unc. 3 lin.) SYN. Blatta Gigantea? _Linn. Syst. Nat._ 1. 2. _p._ 687. 1. _Fabr. Ent. Syst._ 2. 6. 1. _Serville Revis. Orthopt. p._ 11. 1. _Oliv. Encyl. No._ 1. HABITAT: Jamaica (_Drury_). America, Asia (_Fabricius_). Cayenne (_Serville_).