174 THE FORFICULINA. 



in a manner which is exceedingly provoking to the 

 floriculturist. 



Notwithstanding the existence of these objections, 

 real and imaginary, to this unfortunate little insect, 

 there are some points in its natural history which 

 may lead us to look upon it with a little interest. 

 The female is distinguished for the care she takes of 

 her eggs, which she deposits in the spring under 

 stones or clods of earth, or in a small cavity in the 

 ground hollowed out by herself, and here she may 

 often be found watching over their safety with the 

 greatest anxiety, even collecting them together again, 

 when the mass has been disturbed by the wanton 

 hands of human intruders. Nay, it is even said that 

 she moves her eggs about from place to place, in 

 order to keep them in those conditions of warmth 

 and moisture most favourable to their development ; 

 and it is certain that after the larvae are hatched, the 

 mother continues her care of them for some little time, 

 De Geer having observed the little creatures crowd- 

 ing under their parent like chickens under a hen. 



In common with the other insects of the tribe 

 FORFICULINA, of which it serves as the type, our 

 common Earwig presents many interesting peculiari- 

 ties. Its truly Brachelytrous structure distinguishes 

 it and its allies at the first glance from the rest of the 

 Orthoptera; and another remarkable character is to 

 be found in the presence of the singular caudal forceps 

 above alluded to, which attains an extraordinary size 

 in many exotic species, and doubtless constitutes a 

 formidable weapon, although, threatening as it may 

 appear, it is incapable of producing any more serious 

 effect upon the human skin than a slight pinch. The 

 Earwigs are all exceedingly active insects, furnished 



