eS oS -- =. 
Mr. Westwood on the Loves of the Spiders. — 327 
one that the decapod theory entertained in the ‘ Hore Entomologice,’’ 
and that of the thorax being composed of five, and the abdomen of seven 
segments is unfounded, and indeed Mr. MacLeay himself in the last 
number of this Journal is induced to explode the idea. The abdomen of 
that insect is in fact composed of nine distinct segments, the last of which 
is furnished, in addition to the caudal pincers, with an exserted anal 
apparatus. The figure given by M. Léon Dufour in the “ Annales des 
*« Sciences Naturelles’’ (April, 1828,) in his admirable researches upon 
these insects, with a view to their establishment as a distinct order, 
unfortunately represents the abdomen with only seven segments, the two 
basal ones being omitted, which might easily lead to a belief that. this 
part of the body is in reality only seven jointed, the two basal joints being 
concealed beneath the wings. 
With regard to the name of the Order comprising the Earwig, it may 
be observed that the term Dermaptera employed by Mr. Kirby, (who first 
on the suggestion of Dr. Leach established the Order), was proposed by 
Retzius the translator of De Geer for the Orthoptera. The former name 
addition to this in confusion, “‘n’exprimant nullement les traits caractéris- 
** tiques de ce nouvel ordre d’insectes, nous lui préférons,’’ says Dufour, 
“* a juste titre celle de Labidoures,”? which Dumeril had long ago pro- 
posed as its Family name in allusion to the caudal pincers. 
In order however to maintain the names of all the orders in the Lin- 
nean phrase derived from the wings, there exists no difficulty in selecting 
that of the very peculiar manner in the folding of these of the Earwig, 
from which circumstance the name Euplekoptera* may not be thought 
inapplicable. 
It is to be regretted that the opinions of M.M. Audouin and MacLeay are 
not unanimous respecting the legitimate analogy of the Collar of the 
Hymenoptera, although both agree as to its being a portion of the prothoraz. 
Mr. Curtis indeed still continues to describe it as the whole of that organ. 
Our lamented fellow labourer Dr. Heineken, in his pleasant manner 
(Zoological Journal, Vol. V. p. 103), has attempted to cast the shadow of 
a doubt over the correctness of my observations relative to the “* Loves 
** of the Spiders’”’ detailed in a former number of this Journal; T have 
* Ev, bene rhéxyw, plico rrepor, ala, 
y 2 
