266 . THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



OETHOPTEEA IN 1904. 



By W. J. Lucas, B.A., F.E.S. 



Though no addition was made during 1904 to the list of 

 British Orthoptera, yet one event of more than ordinary interest 



occurred in the rediscovery of the 

 earwig Aptcrygida media (= albi- 

 pennis) in Kent. About 1840, in 

 June, the late Prof. Westwood took 

 a few specimens near Ashford ; but 

 the insect was not again met with, 

 and it was feared that we could no 

 longer claim it as British. About 

 1889, however, Mr. J. Edwards 

 took a pair near Norwich ; but 

 again no more were taken, until 

 Mr. A. J. Chitty found them plenti- 

 fully in the autumn of last year in 

 the same district in which West- 

 wood obtained them more than half 

 a century before. Mr. Chitty tells 

 me that they occur throughout the 

 district in suitable localities, which 

 appear to be in the valleys where 

 the soil is light and chalky, and 

 where there is plenty of vegetation. 

 ^ ^ They are generally on the sunny 



side of the valley, or at any rate sun seems necessary for them. 

 A few were found in an old stump ; but they are generally 

 obtainable by sweeping herbage, especially where plants like 

 marjoram are growing. The largest haul was from some hop- 

 bines after the hops had been picked ; but they had previously 

 been swept from the sunny bank below the hedge of this hop- 

 garden. The female is more abundant than the male. They 

 occur with the common earwig, Forficula auricularia. 



A. media is smaller and brighter in colour than F. auricidaria, 

 and the male forceps are very different from those of the latter. 

 The figure, however, will shew the difference better than a 

 description. The male forceps of Chelidura arachidis resemble 

 somewhat those of A. media, but arachidis is much smaller, 

 and, being an alien from a warmer clime, does not venture out 

 of doors in the two or three localities in which it is found. In 

 ordinary circumstances A. media keeps its forceps spread open, 

 not more or less closed at the tip, as is the custom with the 

 common earwig. 



At Queenborough Commander Walker found Anisolahis annu- 

 lipes and Chelidu7'a arachidis still holding their own, while the 



