FORFICULARI^.. 577 



of this countiy and Euroi)c have been referred to the genus 

 Blattina, Mr. Scudder describes, in the "Palaeontology of Illi- 

 nois," a form under the name of Miflacris antJiracophili (Fig. 

 570, upper wing; Fig. 571, 

 prothorax) which was found in 

 the lower part of the true coal / 

 measures at Morris, Illinois. |^ ^ "^ 



FoRFicuLARi.E Latreillc. v , 

 The Earwigs are very unlike '■-ssss;iiiiSA_iS£Si.^ii^iLii^^ 

 other Orthoptera, and are ^''S- ^'^■ 



readily distinguished by their narrow flattened bodies, with 

 short wing-covers, like the Stapliylinidai among beetles, on 

 which account Linnaeus placed them among the Coleoptera. 

 The head is free, flat, horizontal ; the ocelli are wanting, and 

 the eyes round ; the antenn:e arise from under the eyes, and are 

 filiform and twelve to forty-jointed. The elytra are short and 

 thick, while the rounded, broad, hind wings are folded under- 

 neath so as to be almost entirely concealed by the anterior pair. 

 The female genital armature is described by Lacaze-Duthiers 

 as composed of a siibgenital plate formed by the eighth ster^ 

 nite, while the eighth and ninth abdominal rings 

 are partly aborted, and only represented by two 

 horny arcs closel}^ soldered to the tergite of the ( 

 tenth ring. The rhabdites of the ele\enth ring are --^ 



greatly developed, forming the innnense forceps, 

 which are often as long as the whole body. This family was 

 ranked as a separate order by Leach and Kirby, under the name 

 of Dermaptera, and were called Euplexoptera hy Westwood. 



They are nocturnal insects, hiding in the daj- time between 

 leaves and in flowers, flj'ing about at dark. They feed ou: the 

 corollas of flowers and on fruit, and will eat bread and meat. 

 They are rare insects in this country, though troublesome in 

 Europe from their great numbers. An Alpine species livc^ 

 under stones in Europe. In Forjicida the antennsB are fifteen- 

 jointed. Spongopliora hipunctata Scudder has two pale spots 

 on the elytra. In Labia the antenna are less than twelve- 

 jointed. Labia minuta Scudder is yellowish brown, with the 

 sides of the abdomen and the head reddish brown. 

 37 



