PREFACE. 



IN presenting to the entomological public a " Mono- 

 graph of the British Orthoptera ' a few words are 

 necessary with regard to the scope and object of the 

 work. 



Though the treatment adopted may seem to reduce 

 the list of our species to a smaller total than that 

 usually given, it has been employed with the object of 

 confining attention to those species only that can with 

 reason be looked upon as dwellers in our midst, the 

 criterion of British nationality being whether breeding 

 takes place in these islands, or not. If it does, the 

 insect concerned has been given a definite status on 

 our list, even though it may be able to exist with us 

 only under artificial conditions of warmth and shelter. 

 By this arrangement a large number of casual visitors 

 (conveyed here nearly always by accidental transpor- 

 tation) are excluded, as having no claim whatever to 

 be called British insects. 



It can scarcely be expected that an}^ great addition 

 will be made to the number of British species, yet one 

 or two new ones may fairly be looked for, when those 

 naturalists who investigate our orthopterous fauna 

 have become more numerous. On the other hand, it is 

 to be feared that one of our earwigs is destined to 

 almost certain extinction in the near future. 



Under the heading " synonymy ' will be found 



