778 



A HISTORY OF 



CHAPTER CJLXXXII. 



OF THE EARWIG, THE FROTH INSECT, AND SOME OTHERS BELONGING 

 TO THE SECOND ORDER OF INSECTS. 



WE should still keep in memory, that all 

 insects of the second order, though not pro- 

 duced quite perfect from the egg, yet want 

 very little of their perfection, and require 

 but a very small change to arrive at that 

 state which fits them for flight and generation. 

 The natural functions in these are never sus- 

 pended ; from the instant they leave the egg, 

 they continue to eat, to move, to leap, and 

 pursue their prey: a slight change ensues; 

 a skin, that enclosed a part of their body and 

 limbs, bursts behind, like a woman's stays, 

 and gives freedom to a set of wings, with 

 which the animal expatiates, and flies in pur- 

 suit of its mate. 



Of all this class of insects, the Earwig un- 

 dergoes the smallest change. This animal 

 is so common that it scarce needs a descrip- 

 tion : its swiftness in the reptile state is not 

 less remarkable than its indefatigable velocity 

 when upon the wing. That it must be very 

 prolific, appears from its numbers; and that 

 it is very harmless, every one's experience 

 can readily testify. It is provided with six 

 feet, and two feelers ; the tail is forked ; and 

 with this it often attempts to defend itself 

 against every assailant. But its attempts are 

 only the threats of impotence; they draw 

 down the resentment of powerful animals, 

 but no way serve to defend it. The deformity 

 of its figure, and its slender make, have also 

 subjected it to an imputation, which, though 

 entirely founded in prejudice, has more than 

 once procured its destruction. It is supposed, 

 as the name imports, that it often enters into 

 the ears of people sleeping ; thus causing 

 madness from the intolerable pain, and soon 

 after death itself. Indeed, the French name, 

 which signifies the Ear-piercer, urges the 

 calumny against this harmless insect in very 

 plain terms; yet nothing can be more unjust: 

 the ear is already filled with a substance 

 which prevents any insect from entering; 



and besides, it is well lined, and defended 

 with membranes, which would keep out any 

 little animal, even though ihe ear-wax were 

 away. These reproaches, therefore, are 

 entirely groundless: but it were well if the 

 accusations which gardeners bring against 

 the earwig were as slightly founded. There 

 is nothing more certain than that it lives 

 among flowers, and destroys them. When 

 fruit also has been wounded by flies, the ear- 

 wig generally comes in for a second feast, 

 and sucks those juices which they first began 

 to broach. Still, however, this insect is not 

 so noxious as it would seem ; and seldom is 

 found but where the mischief has been origin- 

 ally begun by others. Like all of this class, 

 the earwig is hatched from an egg. As there 

 are various kinds of this animal, so they 

 choose different places to breed in: in gene- 

 ral, however, they lay their eggs under the 

 bark of plants, or in the clefts of trees, when 

 beginning to decay. They proceed from the 

 egg in that reptile state in which they are 

 most commonly seen ; and, as they grow lar- 

 ger, the wings bound under the skin begin to 

 bourgeon. It is amazing how very little 

 room four large wings take, up before they 

 are protruded ; for no person could ever con- 

 ceive such an expansion of natural drapery 

 could be rolled up in so small a packet. 

 The sheath in which they are enveloped, 

 folds and covers them so neatly, that the ani- 

 mal seems quite destitute of wings;" and 

 even when they are burst from^lheir confine- 

 ment, the animal, by the power of the muscles 

 and joints which it has in the middle of its 

 wings, can closely fold them into a very nar- 

 row compass. When the earwig has become 

 a winged insect, it flies in pursuit of the fe- 

 male, ceasing to feed, and is wholly employ- 

 ed in the business of propagation. It lives in 



(a) Swamtnerdam, p. 114. 



