38 BRITISH OttTHOPTERA. 



On 19 Oct. 1916, J. R. le B. Tomlin found P. 

 arachidis in bone refuse at some bone-works at Acton 

 Bridge. He again visited the works on 16 Oct. 

 1917, and sent me over forty specimens, most being 

 alive when I received them. Amongst these were a 

 considerable number of nymphs, some being quite 

 small, as mentioned above. 



In the 'Naturalist,' June 1915, p. 209, H. H. 

 Corbett makes the following interesting record. On 

 May 8 he was asked to visit a tannery in Doncaster, in 

 order to examine some damaged hides from India. 

 The hides had evidently got damp during trans- 

 shipment, and fermentation had taken place. Those 

 which he saw were stained almost black in parts, and 

 there were many cracks and holes in them. On and 

 about them were numerous insects, some dead and 

 crushed, manv alive and active. One bale had not 



V 



been opened, but on thrusting his hand into it, it was 

 found to be very warm inside. Two days later he 

 again visited the place while the bale was being- 

 opened . As the heated and rotten hides were lifted 

 off, insects crawled and ran about in hundreds. He 

 took samples of all that he could catch and amongst 

 them was the earwig P. aracliidis, as was almost to be 

 expected. 



DISTRIBUTION.- -Although P. arachidis breeds under 

 artificial conditions in Europe, it is an exotic species, 

 which has, however, become absolutely cosmopolitan, 

 so much so that its original home is unknown. This 

 may, however, have been tropical Asia, where it, at 

 any rate, is well established. It has been found in 

 addition at various ports in Africa and America, in 

 New Guinea, at Mombasa, in Australia, in islands in 

 the Indian and Pacific Oceans, in Burmah, etc. 



BRITISH LOCALITIES. 



ENGLAND. Cheshire : 1916, Bonevvorks at Acton Bridge 

 (Tomlin). Kent: 1897, Chemical Works at Queenborough 

 (Walker). Middlesex: 1900, soap-works, Bow (Bed tc ell) ; 



