The Earwig. 563 



ORDER II. Orthoptera. 



IN this order the elytra, or wing-cases, are much softer 

 and more flexible than in the beetles ; they are frequently 

 membranous or webbed, and when closed they do not 

 form a straight line down the back. The mouth is also 

 different ; the maxillaa being terminated by a horny, 

 toothed piece called the galea. There is also a kind of 

 tongue, and the metamorphosis is incomplete. 



THE EARWIG. (Forficula auriculana.j 

 UNLIKE most other insects, the female Earwig watches 

 over her eggs until they are hatched, and afterwards 

 attends upon her young progeny for some time. At the 

 beginning of the month of June, M. de Geer found, under 

 a stone, a female Earwig, accompanied by many little 

 ones, evidently her young. They continued close to her, 

 and often placed themselves under her body, as chickens 

 do under a hen. 



This little animal is very nimble, and perfectly harm- 

 less, except to flowers, notwithstanding the fabulous 

 charge which was so long believed against it, of its en- 

 tering the human ear, and depositing its eggs there, 

 which were said to cause intolerable pain when hatched, 

 and the young began to gnaw the inside of the ear. The 

 Earwig possesses wings, which, when extended, cover 

 nearly the whole insect. The elytra, or wing-cases, are 

 short, and do not extend along the whole body, but only 

 over the breast. The wings are concealed beneath these, 

 and are somewhat of an oval shape. There is great ele- 

 gance in the manner in which the insect folds its wings 

 beneath its elytra. 



THE BLACK BEETLE, OR COCKROACH, 

 (Blatta Orientalis,) 



So common in London kitchens, is nearly allied to the 

 Earwig. 



