THE EARWIGS. 177 



however, which generally inhabits dunghills and hot- 

 beds, and which is furnished with larger wings than 

 the common Earwig, often flies in very hot summer 

 afternoons, and I have several times noticed speci- 

 mens settling upon my clothes even in the streets 

 of London. 



This, however, from its merely occasional occur- 

 rence, can hardly be looked upon even as an exception 

 to the general habits of the group, all the insects 

 belonging to which keep themselves concealed in the 

 ground, under stones, or in other sheltered situations 

 during the day, and wander forth at night in search 

 of their food, which consists for the most part of 

 vegetable matters, although they appear occasionally 

 to indulge in animal nourishment. At the approach 

 of day they usually creep into the first crevice that 

 presents itself, and the gardeners know well how to 

 avail themselves of this habit in getting rid of their 

 little foes; they place small flower-pots, lobsters' 

 claws, and similar objects upon the sticks supporting 

 dahlias and other flowers, and by examining these in 

 the morning, generally succeed in effecting a very 

 wholesale reduction in the numbers of their enemies. 



i 5 



