CRICKETS AND EARWIGS 165 



Earwigs can run up and down the perpendicular sides, 

 even of a glass jar, with perfect ease, an accomplishment 

 very essential to their well-being, as their favourite food 

 so often lies up on the end of a tall stalk. Hence, one 

 can account for their presence in sunflowers and other 

 tall flowers, without assuming that they have flown 

 thither. They habitually rest with legs widely spread 

 out, and this, no doubt, helps to give them a firm foot- 

 hold. On the other hand, however, as everybody knows, 

 they are extremely ready to relax their hold, and drop at 

 once to the ground if disturbed. They are fond of the 

 darkness, and it would almost seem as though light were 

 painful to their eyes, for they habitually endeavour, when 

 disturbed in the daytime, to poke their heads into some 

 obscure corner. 



Earwigs, although they make a good deal of mess in 

 the places they frequent by the abundant accumulation 

 of their excrement, are yet not in themselves of uncleanly 

 habits, but are in person usually scrupulously clean. If 

 watched for a little while, they will be seen cleaning 

 themselves as a cat would do, putting the fore foot up to 

 the mouth, and then rubbing it round the head ; the 

 hind foot will also sometimes be bent round underneath, 

 and brought up to the mouth in the same way, and after 

 some tremulous movements with the jaws and palpi, it 

 will be stroked down the back several times, evidently 

 with the intention of removing particles of dust, &c. 

 There is a surprising air of intelligence about them as 

 they perform their ablutions, and a steady, business-like 

 application to the work, which is highly amusing. 



A similar appearance of a power of resource and 

 vigour of purpose are often to be seen while they are 

 feeding, especially when an earwig, reaching up to a 

 flower above its head, and almost too high for it, gives 



