(iS Observations on various Insects 



or the imago indifferently ;* and when confined and hard pressed 

 by hunger, they will attack and destroy each other. They live 

 all the year round, retiring in winter into crevices in the soil, 

 under clods, stones, the loose bark of trees, &c., where they seem 

 to remain in a semi-torpid state. 



Their economy is in some respects rather remarkable, for the 

 female, after she has laid her cluster of little oval, opaque, 

 yellowish eggs, under a fallen leaf, or in any other sheltered spot, 

 sits and nestles upon them as a hen does on her eggs, and pro- 

 bably also protects and feeds her young. Moreover, the earwig 

 is an active creature as soon as it is hatched, and bears a con- 

 siderable resemblance to its parent, but it is much smaller of 

 course, and different in colour, destitute of wings, and the forceps 

 are straighter and not horny. When they have arrived at what 

 may be termed the pupa state, they present a still greater resem- 

 blance to the mature insects, having rudimentary elytra. They 

 cast their skins from time to time, and immediately after this 

 operation they are of a yellowish-white colour, excepting the 

 black eyes. Having arrived at their perfect and final state, both 

 sexes are then provided with wings, which are most curiously 

 folded upon the back, and nearly concealed beneath the little 

 wing-cases. That these organs are sufficiently ample to sustain 

 them in flight is not to be doubted, and the fact of one of the 

 species, named Forficxda horealis, having been taken in July 

 on the wing, in the heat of the day, is a confirmation of the 

 general opinion. It is, nevertheless, not the less remarkable that, 

 having this power, they should so seldom avail themselves of it. 

 It appears, however, that they take wing on moonlight nights. 

 Earwigs now form a distinct ORDER, termed DermAPTERA, and 

 are included in the FAMILY FORFICULID.E. There are two species 

 abundant in this country ; the first is named 



27. FORFICULA AURICULARIA (Linu.). 



Head ovate ; eyes small, lateral, and oval ; the two horns 

 inserted before the eyes, moderately long, thread-shaped, pu- 

 bescent, and 14-jointed. The mouth is composed of an upper 

 lip, of a transverse oval form ; on either side is a horny mandible 

 or jaw, trigonate, one cleft at the apex, the other concave and 

 forming an angle at the middle. Opposed to the upper lip is 

 the under lip, whicli is elongated, pilose, and dilated. The two 

 palpi or feelers are 3-jointed and rough, Avith short hairs. On 

 each side are placed the maxillze, which are rather elongated, 

 furnished with two slender lobes, the internal one rigid, pointed, 

 and cleft at the apex, the interior margin fringed with spines 



* Zool. 7, 2372. 



