80 Dr. M. Burr — Notes on the Forficularia, 



Of these features, those to which taxonoraic importance 

 are attached by Zacher are the following : — 



Presence or absence of cross-vein connecting the veins of 



the squama. 

 Presence or absence of sector to third vein of squama. 

 Presscnce or absence of internal branch to ulnar vein. 

 Presence of a '^triangular field ^^ (often hairy) at base 



of ninth or tenth radial nervures. 

 Shape of the tenth radial nervure. 



To which I add : — 



Shape of the ninth and eleventh radial nervures, and 

 separation or junction at the base of the first and 

 second radials. 



Thus it will be observed that the greater portion of the 

 wing offers, so far as we can see, few characters of value. 



It may here be noted that apparently the wing is in- 

 variably weaker and more delicate in the more primitive 

 forms, and stronger in the higher. The veins and nervures 

 themselves are stronger, and the membrane more visible in 

 the Eudermaptera. Indeed, in some genera of the latter, 

 the wings are very highly coloured {Pterygida, Allodahlia, 

 Eiulolirnia). 



As regards the practical question, I hav^e little to say. I 

 detach the wing as carefully as possible with a fine scapel : 

 all my specimens are mounted for microscopic examination 

 by Lt.-Col. F. Winn Sampson, and it is with pleasure that 

 1 acknowledge here my very great indebtedness to this 

 gentleman's skill and patience, which is rapidly providing 

 me with a rich material for the study of the genital arma- 

 ture of earwigs. Incidentally, Colonel Winn Sampson has 

 prepared for me the few wings, which ai'e the material for 

 this brief paper. I will only say that rather strong staining 

 is advisable, more particularly in the case of the paler and 

 more delicate Protodermaptera, when mounted in Canada 

 balsam. The veins are more visible if the specimens are 

 mounted dry. 



Omitting for the time being the Paradermaptera, the 

 wings of which I have not yet studied, the differences in the 

 venation of the wings in the two main groups are thus pro- 

 posed by Zacher : — 



Protodermaptera : veins of squama with no cross-con- 

 nection : third vein usually without sector (except in 

 Lubidura) ; ulnar vein usually with inner branch ; 



