208 CARCIBUS CREPITANS, EAR-WIG. 



instant it perceives the light, it generally makes good its 

 retreat, and they are seldom caught, though the bed 

 swarms with them. 



THE CARCIBUS CREPITANS, OR BOMBARDIER 



Is a middling sized insect, found, in many parts of 

 Europe. Its head, thorax, legs, and antennae are of a red 

 brown colour, and its belly and wing-sheaths blackish bine. 

 "When attacked, it seldom flies, concealing itself chiefly 

 under stones, &c. When pursued or provoked, it dis- 

 charges, with a smart explosion, a blueish vapour, with a 

 very bad smell. It is able to repeat this operation very 

 often, and is furnished with a little bladder which supplies 

 the vapour. This is its means of defence against its 

 enemies, and particularly a large insect of its own genus. 



THE COMMON EAR-WIG 



Is too well known to require description. The wings of 

 the Ear-wig are of a curious and beautiful construction ; 

 they are very large, in proportion to the size of the animal, 

 transparent, and slightly varied with the colours of the 

 rainbow ; they are most wonderfully folded under their short 

 sheaths. The Ear-wig flies only by night, and can hardly 

 be made to open its wings by day-light. The female 

 deposits her eggs in a place where they will be secured 

 from too great heat or moisture : the larvae are very small, 

 and very little different from the parent; after growing, 

 and many times changing its skin, the likeness becomes 

 complete. The female Ear-wig is said to guard her young 

 with all the assiduity of the mother hen ; covering them 

 with her own body, &c. The Ear-wig feeds chiefly on 

 decayed fruit and vegetable substances ; but when in want, 

 it will devour its own species. It is now considered as 

 certain, that the Ear-wig has no propensity to take up its 

 abode in the human ear. 



W. J. Stars, Printer, 4, Ivy Lane, Newgate Street. 



