109 



CHAPTER VII. 



ORDER ii. EUPLEXOPTERA. 



THE order Euplexoptera contains the Earwigs only ; 

 insects as much disliked -and disliked with as little 

 reason (except, indeed, by the horticulturist) as any of 

 the tribe. The common Earwig is one of the best 

 known of insects, the forceps in its tail affording a means 

 of recognising it at once, at least to those who have 

 nerve sufficient to enable them to look steadily upon it ; 

 the less courageous, who sometimes bring stories to the 

 entomologist of encounters with " a dreadful black Ear- 

 wig, at least two inches long" (if not three), having 

 probably made their observations whilst running away 

 from the Goerius, or Devil's coachhorse, already de- 

 scribed. 



The Earwigs so nearly resemble the Beetles with short 

 wing-cases, that, except for the tail forceps, they might 

 easily be mistaken for them ; indeed, they were formerly 

 classed among Coleopterous insects, an alliance with 

 which seemed pointed out by the cased wings and the 

 character of the mouth. The wings, however, differ 

 greatly in character (see figs. 17 and 18, p. 43); and 

 there is a still more important difference between the 

 Beetles and the Earwigs in the nature of their meta- 

 morphoses. 



In Coleoptera there is a marked difference between the 

 active larva, the passive pupa, and the winged insect; 



