60 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. XIV. 



SEEVILLE, A. Ilistoire naturelle cles Insectes. Orthopteres, Paris, 1839. 



WBSTWOOD, J, 0. An Introduction to a Modern Classification of Insects. London, 



1839. 



PEEFAOE. 



The following account of the Forficidaria known to occur in Ceylon is 

 written to encourage entomologists residing in or visiting that island to pay 

 attention to this interesting^ but neglected, group of insects. 



Earwigs form a very compact and vr ell-defined suborder of Orthoptera, 

 and roughly speaking, about four hundred species are known to Science, 

 For some reason they have met unjustifiable neglect at the hands of orthop- 

 terists and almost all workers who give their attention to this fascinating 

 order have passsd over the earwigs, contenting themselves, from time to time, 

 with describing a few novelties. 



This is no doubt due to the lack of any comprehensive work upon the sub- 

 ject and it is hoped that this short paper will, to a certain extent, remove this 

 defect. The writer hopes that by its help entomologists in Ceylon and in 

 the neighbouring regions will commence to make collections of earwigs, and 

 to publish the results of their observations,"so that in a short time there may 

 be sufficient material at hand to compile an account of the Forficularia of 

 British India, if not of the whole Oriental Region, 



Thanks to M. deBormans, the authority upon the grou[), our knowledge 

 of the earwigs of the Malay Archipelago, of Burmah and of Central America 

 is more extensive. But in spite of the numerous and valuable publications 

 of this author, new species come to hand in considerable numbers from 

 almost every locality. The scope for the discovery of novelties alone should 

 encourage interest and study in the group in question. 



Much, too, remains to be done concerning the development, life-hislories 

 and general biological questions of earwigs. As an example, we cite the 

 discoveries made by my friend Mr, E. E. Green ii. the anatomy and devtlop- 

 ment of Diplatys, set forth in his admirable paper, a work which is as valu- 

 able for its suggestiveness as on account of the actual facts and observa- 

 tions recorded. 



It is to Mr. Green's energy in collecting that the balk of the material for 

 this paper is due, and I take this opportunity of acknowledging my indebted- 

 ness. 



Further material has been afforded from the work of H. Dohrn, and from 

 the collections of the British Museum, University Museum of Oxford and 

 of the Royal Natural History Museum of Brussels, I am indebted to the 

 courtesy of M, George Severin for the opportunity of examining at leisure 

 the collections of the latter museum, : nd to my esteemed friend and 

 colleague M. A. de Bormans for advice and information in the preparation 

 of this paper. I also have to thank Prof. E. B. Poulton, of Oxford, and 

 Mr. "W. F. Kirby, of the British Museum, for their kindness when engaged 

 with the specimens in their respective collections, 



