THE POBFICULin.'E AND STREPSIPTERA. 351 



and the young creep forth with the shell of the egg 

 still adhering to them. 



(309.) Our next family, the FoRFicuLiDiE, is a group 

 of still smaller extent, which are known by the name of 

 earwigs, and are distinguished by their abbreviated pa- 

 rallel elytra, — thus resembling the Staphylinidce, and 

 whereby the Coleoptera and Orthoptera seem in some 

 measure connected; and also by their elegant delicate and 

 expansive wings, which in repose fold in radii diverging 

 from a nearly central spot. Their tarsi are trimerous ; 

 and the apex of the abdomen is furnished with a couple 

 of elongate curved horny processes, which are usually 

 forcipate and capable of being used as prehensile organs, 

 being articulated at the base : the antennae are setaceous, 

 and variable in the number of the joints. Some, like 

 some of the Blattince, are apterous. These peculiarities 

 and diflPerences of structure have led to generic sub- 

 division. The female covers her eggs as assiduously as 

 a hen; and a similar instance of this brooding we have 

 already observed in the Hymenoptera, in the genus 

 Perga. The Forficula are very destructive in gardens, 

 to flowers and fruits, which they much deface; but the 

 bad reputation they have acquired, and which their ver- 

 nacular name implies, is not merited, and the circum- 

 stance totally fabulous. It is unfortunate that such 

 reprehensible mistakes should exist, as those which attach 

 to very many insects; for they tend to foster prejudices 

 which necessarily obstruct the progress of knowledge, 

 by making objects abhorrent to inspection, which, when 

 investigated, present as large, but a more readily acces- 

 sible, field for instruction, delight, and amusement, as 

 any throughout natin-e ; none of which, however, surpass, 

 perhaps, the extraordinary little parasites which form 

 the contents of our next sub-family, — 



(310.) The Stylopid^, or Strepsiptera. The situ- 

 ation of these insects is one of perplexing interest. 

 They are parasites upon some of the genera of bees and 

 wasps ; and the peculiarities of their structure and eco- 

 nomy have made the.m a problem which entomologists 



