"406 MODERN CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS. 



insects whilst in the larva and pupa state, or whether the female larva 

 has fewer segments in the abdomen than that of the male. There 

 are several species, however, which are constantly observed to be 

 apterous (Chelidoura Latr.; Forficula, section c.,Gene), and which are 

 nevertheless regarded as perfect insects ; a peculiarity not, however, 

 confined to this tribe of insects : others possess perfect wing-covers, 

 but are destitute of wings (Jiff. 50. 3., Apterygida Westw., 50. 4. 

 its antennae ; Forficula, section h., Gene, by whom three species are 

 described). 



These insects are generally of obscure colours, and of small or but 

 moderate size, not much exceeding an inch in length. I'he number 

 of species is but small, there not being more than seven or eight 

 British species. They are widely dispersed, probably no country 

 being destitute of them. I possess species from North and South 

 America, the Cape of Good Hope, India, New Holland, and the 

 Sandwich Islands. The range of individual species also appeal's to be 

 great, Thunberg having brought F. auricularia from Japan. (^Dalilhom 

 Kort Skandinav. Ins. p. 101.) 



By Linneeus, and even by Marsham, these insects were considered 

 as Coleopterous*, but placed at the end of the order immediately 

 following Staphylinus. From this order, however, Forficula differs iu 

 the mouth, and more especially in the nature of its transformations ; 

 and it was accordingly united, by Fabricius, Olivier, and Lati'eille, 

 with the cockroaches, crickets, &c., in the order Orthoptera Oliv. 

 (Ulonata Fahr.). At the suggestion of Dr. Leach (who regarded the 

 variations of the wings and wing-covers as of primary importance), 

 Mr. Kirby {^Linn. Trans, vol. xi.) first raised them to the rank of a 

 distinct order, to which the name of Dermaptera (proposed by Retzius 

 for the bugs) was misapplied, f More recently, L. Dufour has shown 

 the wide separation existing between these insects and the other Or- 

 thoptera by his admirable anatomical analysis above referred to ; but, 

 rejecting the name of Dermaptera, he retained that of Labidoures, 

 originally proposed by Dumeril {Zool. Anal. 1806, p. 237.). Subse- 

 quent English, as well as some of the French^, writers have retained 

 this as a distinct order ; but Latreille, and numerous followers, have 



* The earwigs " are, in fact, Coleopterous insects, with the metamorphoses and 

 caudal appendages of the true Orthoptera." (MacLcay, ITorm Ent. p. 437.) 



t It is on this account that I have been compelled to propose a new name for the 

 order. 



