THOSE HORRID EARWIGS 143 



with a soft and fleshy body, a few jointed legs, and 

 the general appearance of a grub or caterpillar. 

 To this very ancient and somewhat shadowy 

 ancestor the larvae of the higher insects still more 

 or less revert in their earlier stages ; and we may 

 believe that many insects so reverted during many 

 generations. But in process of time the primitive 



NO. l8. THE MOTHER EARWIG AND HER BROOD OF CHICKS. 



type developed into a wingless, six-legged form, 

 like that in No. 19 a form which you can see at 

 once marks a comparatively great advance upon 

 the old, worm-like progenitor. This animal, you 

 can note, has six good legs to run about with, and 

 is already provided with a well-marked head, and 

 with the three body-rings and the long tail or 

 abdomen so characteristic to the last of all higher 

 insects. Its segments have been specialised. From 



