A BEAUTIFUL CHARACTER 



IN the article on earwigs in the Encyclopaedia 

 Britannica it is stated that scarcely any naturalists 

 have made the insect the object of study. If, 

 therefore, you wish to seek renown in a virgin 

 field, here you are. Go in and find out all about 

 it. I have made an effort myself, without, how- 

 ever, finding out enough to discourage anybody. 

 I attempted to tame an earwig (by the kindness 

 method, of course), but found him strangely 

 unresponsive to affection. In fact, but for one 

 crowded minute of glorious life he sulked during 

 the three whole months I held him in captivity. 

 The episode alluded to occurred when, with the 

 idea of cheering the captive up, I introduced a 

 spider to his domicile. I hoped that they might 

 take to one another and be friends, but from 

 the first they regarded each other with settled 

 suspicion. The spider, a fine hearty specimen of 

 the domestic variety, with good muscular develop- 

 ment, settled down at once to work out an en- 

 veloping movement. With a sidelong gait sug- 

 gestive of a high-spirited horse, he moved around 

 the earwig, which at the same time rotated on its 



axis. Once or twice the newcomer threw out a 



270 



