THE EARWIGS. 175 



with well- developed legs, which are terminated by 

 tarsi of three joints ; and their antennae are long and 

 slender, and usually composed of numerous joints. 

 The head terminates behind in a distinct neck, which 

 allows of great freedom of motion ; the prothorax is 

 small, and the whole body elongated and narrow. 

 The structure of the abdomen also is rather anoma- 

 lous ; it consists in the males of nine distinct segments, 

 whilst in the females there are apparently only seven 

 of these divisions. This peculiarity has given rise to 

 some little discussion amongst entomologists, but it 

 would be out of place to do more than mention it 

 here, and I must refer the reader for further informa- 

 tion to Mr. Westwood^s paper on the subject in the 

 first volume of the Transactions of the Entomological 

 Society of London. 



But of all the distinguishing characteristics of this 

 group of insects, none are more singular than the 

 structure of the wings, which certainly present us 

 with one of the most beautiful contrivances to be 

 met with in the insect world. Like the Brachelytrous 

 Beetles, the Earwigs, although furnished with very 

 short wing-cases, are well provided with wings, which 

 they know how to use when occasion requires. These 

 organs, when expanded, are of large size, and of a 

 nearly semicircular form, and although their texture 

 is exceedingly delicate and filmy, we can scarcely 

 conceive at first how they can possibly be packed up 

 into such small compass as to form the little bundles 

 that we see on the back of the Earwig as he runs 

 along. A glance at their construction, however, soon 

 solves the mystery. Like the wings of the other 

 Orthoptera, their delicate membrane is traversed by 

 radiating veins, but these, instead of springing from 



