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THE COMMON EARWIG * 



Is a well-known insect, and easily distinguishable 

 from all the beetles by the forceps or pincers at the 

 end of its tail. It is produced from an egg, and the 

 larva differs very little in its external appearance 

 from the complete insect, except that it has neither 

 wings nor elytra, and that the breast and thorax are 

 not distinguishable. In this state it is a very lively 

 little animal, running about with great agility, even 

 from the instant it leaves the egg. On its metamor- 

 phosis to a perfect insect, a part of its body bursts 

 behind, and gives full play to the wings. 



It may not perhaps be known, to the generality 

 of observers, that the Earwig is possessed of wings 

 which are both large and elegant, and that one of 

 these, when extended, will nearly cover the whole 

 insect. The elytra, or wing-cases^ are short, and ex- 

 tend not along the whole body but only over the 

 breast. The wings are concealed beneath these - 3 

 they are somewhat of an oval shape, and, when ex- 

 tended, are nine or ten times as large as the elytra. 

 There is a great degree of elegance in the manner in 

 which the insect folds them beneath. They are first 

 closed up lengthways from a centre close to the 

 body like a fan, and afterwards refolded across in 

 two different places, one about the middle of the 

 membrane, and the other at the centre, from 



* Synonyms.— Forficulaauricularia. lia/;.— Twitch, or Twitch- 

 ball, in some parts of the north of England. 



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