30 BRITISH ORTHOPTERA. 



at the tip quite pale ; hind margin of pronotum rounded ; 

 part of wings exposed behind elytra rather large ; 

 second tarsal segment of legs small and cylindrical. A 

 long spine on the ventral side of the penultimate 

 segment of the abdomen, between the callipers, which 

 might be taken for the pygidium (fig. 4). Callipers 

 (fig. 2, no. 4) somewhat remote at the base, incurved 

 at the apex, serrated on the inner margin. Length up 

 to 9 mm. ; length of callipers about 2' 2 5 mm. 



FIG. 4. Labia minor Linnseus, $ ; ventral view of the extremity of 



the abdomen (much magnified). 



FEMALE IMAGO.- -Similar to the male; but the callipers 

 are contiguous at the base and practically so in their 

 whole length. Length about 8 mm. ; length of callipers 

 about 1 mm. 



VARIATION.- -Except in size, I have found but slight 

 variation in this little earwig. It should be borne in 

 mind, when calculating the length of this and other 

 earwigs, that the abdomen often contracts very much 

 in drying. Preserved specimens are therefore usually 

 shorter than they were in life. To prevent this con- 

 traction earwigs may be carded as soon as killed. 



DATE.- -1 April appears to be the earliest date of 

 which I have a note, while the latest is 1 November, 

 the former record being due to E. J. B. Sopp, the latter 

 to R. S. Bagnall. Probably, however, the species spends 

 the winter in the perfect state ; indeed if imagines are 

 to be found immediately before the winter season and 

 again just after it closes, this must almost necessarily 

 be the case. Apparently other British earwigs act in 

 a similar way. 



