. Natural history. For the use of schools and families. Zoology. 264 NATURAL IIISTOKT. racious animals, troublesome as they are here, are vastly- more so in some other countries. It is said that some houses in St. Petersburg became so infested with them that no one could live in them, and they were burned down to destroy these insects. 441. Earwigs are little insects having a pair of nippers, shutting like scissors, at the hinder end of the body. They eat both fruit and flowers, disfiguring the latter with holes. They are , running for some crev- ice whenever disturbed, and thinking
. Natural history. For the use of schools and families. Zoology. 264 NATURAL IIISTOKT. racious animals, troublesome as they are here, are vastly- more so in some other countries. It is said that some houses in St. Petersburg became so infested with them that no one could live in them, and they were burned down to destroy these insects. 441. Earwigs are little insects having a pair of nippers, shutting like scissors, at the hinder end of the body. They eat both fruit and flowers, disfiguring the latter with holes. They are , running for some crev- ice whenever disturbed, and thinking that they are safe if they put their heads under cover, and thus get out of sight of danger. They are apt, when frightened, to plunge down into the bottom of a flower, if they happen to be on one, leaving, however, their curious forked tails standing up among the stamens. Their name is not an appropriate one, for they have really never been known to enter the human ear. These insects are very differ- ent from the animal so often called by this name in this country, which is really not an insect. 442. Among the Raptoria is that singular insect the Mantis Religiosa, or Praying Mantis, Fig. 199. It is so. Fig. 193.—Mantis Eeligiosa. called*from the attitude which it assumes when it is watching for its prey.,- The front of its thorax is raised, and the two fore legs are held up together, like a pair of arms, ready to seize any insect that may come within its reach. These insects are extremely voracious. If two are kept together without food, they fight until one is killed, and the victor devours his adversary. Fi"-hts. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Hooker, Worthington, 1806-1867. New York, Harper & Brothers
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