50 BRITISH ORTHOPTERA. 



These observations are confirmed by Kirby and 

 Spence, Taschenberg, Camerano, Rnhl, Larbaletrier, 

 Lesne, and others including the present writer (see 

 pp. 42-44). Dr. Chapman even suggests that the 

 mother may collect food for her young. Bits of grass 

 was the provender indicated, which however is not 

 the kind of food that one would expect an earwig 

 to choose.* 



Sharp records the following casef : " On the shore 

 at Hayling Island I lifted a small stone- -some 6-9 



cubic inches rather firmly fixed in the tenacious soil 



/ 



a little above the tide-line, and found under it a 

 female earwig:. The creature was covering a small 



O O 



cavity, and this cavity was filled with numerous 

 minute young earwigs; only one young one was at 

 large and this was close to the mother. As the little 

 family was evidently disturbed by the discovery I 

 replace^ the stone, and did not take possession of the 

 mother. I feel pretty sure, however^ that the species 

 was Forficula auriciilaria, the common earwig. The 



e/ O 



psychology of such cases might give rise to interesting 

 discussions. But at present I think all that can be 

 considered certain is that association between mother 

 and offspring is continued after deposition of the eggs, 

 and is prolonged even after the hatching of the 

 young." From what I have noticed myself I agree 

 with Sharp that the question of " maternal solicitude ' 

 must not be pressed too far. Indeed A. 0. Eowden 

 found on 26 April 1902 at Dawlish Warren in Devon 

 a female " with its vouns: (which it seems to have since 



t- O \ 



eaten) in a hole in the sand, just above, and very close 

 to, high water-mark." 



F. auricularia does not readily take to the wing in 

 the ordinary way, though there may be certain atmo- 



i/ / O / 



spheric conditions which conduce to its doing so. 

 There seem to be few actual records of flight for this 

 species. W. E. Collinge mentions J their flying in at a 



* ' Entomologist,' 1910, p. 292. 

 t 'Entomologist,' 1910, p. 250. 

 ' Journal of Economic Biology/ vol. in, pt. 2, 1908. 



