DEEMAPTEKA. 



CHAPTER I. 



These insects, popularly known as Earwig?, are rfemarkatle for 

 many reasons. None of them are large, and some are very small. 

 There are but few species, and most of the British species 

 are very common — in fact, much too common as far as flower- 

 gardens are concerned. Yet, though they are small, few, and 

 common, they have been tlie occasion of more disputes among 

 entomologists than all the other insects put together. Some 

 asserted that they were an ' aberrant ' branch of the Brachelytra 

 and allied to the common Rove Beetles, while others as strenu- 

 ously asserted that they belonged by right to the Orthoptera, 

 and were allied, though distantly, to the Cockroach. The use 

 to which they put the forceps with which their tails are armed 

 furnished another fertile source of dispute, while even their 

 popular English name was cause for abundant quarrel — one 

 party considering the name to be properly Eartyi^r, in allusion 

 to the popular idea that they were in the habit of crawling 

 into human ears ; and the other spelling the word 'Ea.vwing, be- 

 cause the spread wing of the insect is shaped like a human ear. 



We will take each of these disputed points in succession, 

 and begin with the first — namely, the position which they ought 

 to occupy in the world of insects. 



It is satisfactorily ascertained that they cannot be Beetles, if 

 only for the one fact, that in the pupal state they are not in- 

 active, but resemble in every respect the perfect insect, except 

 that the wings are rudimentary. The elytra, instead of being 

 horny, are soft and leathery, very small, without veins; and 

 nearly, but not quite, cover the wings, the leathery hinge of 

 which projects just beyond them when folded. This hinge 



