OF WASHINGTON. 85 



Labia minor Scudder, common in the vicinity of Washington, 

 uses its forceps to spread its wings, and is apparently unable to 

 resort to flight without the assistance of its caudal armature. 



It is well known to entomologists that the hind wings of the 

 earwig differ from those of all other insects, except those of the 

 Staphylinid beetles, in being folded transversely to fit under the 

 short anterior wings, which serve merely as protective covers. 

 The method of folding is, however, entirely different in the two 

 groups, and the suggestion of the above quotation that the ear- 

 wiguses the forceps to fold the wings seem to be quite erroneous. 

 It was probably borrowed by analogy from the beetles, where 

 the flexible abdomen is used, as it were, to tuck the wings under 

 their covers. The wings of the Staphylinidas are still expanded 

 when the insect alights, and are sometimes allowed to remain so 

 when neglected through fright or annoyance. 



With the earwig, on the contrary, the closing of the wings is 

 instantaneous and apparently quite automatic ; when the insect 

 alights its wings are completely folded, and it runs away without 

 the necessity of any of the preliminary contortions of the Staphy- 

 linidae. Moreover, unlike the beetle, the earwig does not open 

 its wings readily or when running. The operation is obviously 

 a special effort which requires it to stand still and exert its undi 

 vided attention for a very appreciable interval. The wing covers 

 and wings are soon raised from the body, but the wings do not 

 unfold until, by repeated quick upward movements of the re 

 curved abdomen and forceps they are, as it were, combed out and 

 spread for flight. Occasionally an earwig seems to lose the power 

 of keeping the wings open, and repeatedly falls down after short 

 flights of an inch or two, though apparently making efforts at 

 longer journeys. Instead of direct flights, they often rise and con 

 tinue to gyrate in a spiral about two inches in diameter. 



It is, of course, possible that this observation would not apply 

 to all the winged earwigs, and, to judge from the past, much time 

 will be needed for its verification in the different families and 

 genera of the group. That the present use of the forceps remained 

 so long unnoticed is probably to be explained by the fact that the 

 earwigs, like the termites, are nocturnal or twilight insects, and 

 when disturbed in the daytime never attempt to use their wings, 

 but run for shelter and concealment in the dark. The insects 

 which were seen to fly had been attracted to a light in the even 

 ing, and there also flight seem-ed to be undertaken only when the 

 creatures felt themselves at leisure. When annoyed or frightened 

 they attempted only to run away the faster. Several genera of 

 earwigs, including Apachya, collected under similar circum 

 stances in Liberia, were also seen to alight with their wings 

 already folded, and to bend their abdomens while resuming flight, 

 though the nature and object of the movements were not then ap- 



