COMMON EARWIG. 75 
infestation being carried out in manure, as heaps of manure are one of 
the localities frequented by Earwigs. 
In gardens where Earwig attack is a regularly recurring yearly 
trouble, much might be done to lessen it by disturbance of neglected 
surface-soils, keeping walls in such order as to afford no shelter, and 
also clearing the various kinds of rubbish, as wood, stones, clods of 
hard earth, &c., beneath which they hide. Our true Earwigs, that is, 
Forficule, including F’. auricularia, although they have ample wings, 
are considered only occasionally to fly, therefore it would appear that 
local measures of prevention would be of service. 
In years in which the Earwigs abound to an extent to be seriously 
troublesome in houses, no way to obviate this great annoyance seems 
yet to be before the public, excepting shutting down the windows at 
the time of their more especial evening date of entrance, or guarding 
the openings with muslin, as against wasps in vineries. 
One other rare but really occurring occasional annoyance from 
Karwigs remains to be noticed,—this their sometimes creeping into 
the chamber of the ear. Although the popular idea that they can gain 
entrance thence into the brain is altogether erroneous and an im- 
possibility, still anyone who has suffered (as I myself have done) from 
an active insect getting into the ear will know the very great annoyance 
that it has the power of causing so long as it remains alive. In some 
cases, just gently placing a dry grass-stem as a means of exit to the 
insect, I have found to be all that was needed,—of course, being 
careful not to allow the stem to touch the drum of the ear. But with 
Karwigs this plan would be hardly likely to answer, as these insects 
like freedom from light. But the annoyance may be quite stopped by 
having a little sweet oil dropped into the cavity of the ear, which will 
very soon kill the insect, and the remains should afterwards be syringed 
out, or extracted by a medical man, or some one competent to do so, 
as rough or unskilled treatment might cause very serious damage. 
