16 INTBODIJCTION. 



" I have often watched earwigs of this species expanding and 

 folding away their wings. The wings are generally expanded by a 

 I'apid movement of the anterior part of the body, suggesting 

 a shrug of the shoulders ; but sometimes a hitch occurs, and this 

 movement is insutficient to stretch out both wings properly. The 

 abdomen is then bent upwards and forwards, and the forceps are 

 used to unfold the delicate membrane. They do not seize this 

 membrane, however, but are closed together during the operation 

 and are used as a lever or smoothing organ. In a similar manner 

 they are often employed to push the wing into its place beneath 

 the elytra, although movements of the thorax play an important 

 part in this process also." 



Terry never saw C'helisocJies morio use its forceps in this manner. 

 He writes (05) : — 



" The adults will readily take to flight, the unfolding of the wings 

 being a very rapid process and quite independent of the forceps, 

 the writer never having seen them used either to assist in the 

 folding or unfolding process." 



The flattened forms, as Apachyus, probably live under bark. An 

 African species of this genus was observed by Dr. Creightou 

 Wellman, at Benguella, to live under the bark of dead trees, and 

 to come out of wood when placed on the fire. In Burma, Fea 

 found A.fece under bark, as well as various species of Chelisoches, 

 and some species of Labia. The flattened genera Sparatia (which 

 is not yet known to occur in India) and Platylahia . probably 

 resemble Apachijus in their habits. Fea found Metisolabis caudelli 

 and various species of Opistliocosmiince under dried leaves, vege- 

 table rubbish, and over-ripe fruit. Pygidicrana picta is found 

 commonly among dead leaves at the base of trees near Calcutta 

 (Annandale), and P. cuminr/i and P. nietneri are found in Ceylon, 

 under stones, loose bark, etc., and often come into buildings 

 (Green). Labia mucronata was found by Green in decaying 

 pods of cocoa and of Poincaiiia, and in the crevices of the bark of 

 cocoa trees. Forficula greeni is often taken in bungalows in Ceylon, 

 and one was found by Green in an empty gall on Antidesma, one 

 of the EiiplwrbiacecB. Cordax ceyloaiciis is attracted to light 

 (Green), and also Proreiis simuluns (Annandale). In Europe 

 earwigs do not, as a rule, use their wings readily, except Labia 

 minor, but in the tropics crowds of them come flying to light (de 

 Bormans). 



The common European Forficula auricularia, Linn., has been 

 recorded by Collinge (08) to fly into houses through the windows 

 in England in considerable numbers on dark sultry evenings in 

 June and July between 9.30 and 10.30 p.m. ; in three consecutive 

 evenings, as many as 26 specimens flew in ; it is noteworthy that 

 they avoided the gas, and also that they were all males. The same 

 author notes two occasions on which they were seen to fly in broad 

 daylight. 



Theobald (96) has noticed that in Kent they devour the young 

 foliage of hops and sometimes do considerable damage ; he writes : 



