64 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL BISTORY SOCIETY, Vol. JiV. 



The form of the forceps, although very variable, is also an extremely use- 

 ful character, as well for separating species as genera. 



Earwigs may be mounted according to the fancy of the collector. It is, 

 perhaps, most satisfactory to pin them with long slender pins, upon which 

 the label with full data may be fixed. The pin may be inserted in the suture 

 between the elytra, or through one of the elytra themselves. With the 

 smaller species it is better to fix them with a drop of cement upon a 

 small triangular card, which may be pinned. In dried specimens the abdo- 

 men is very brittle, and often the different segments drop off, and are very 

 difficult to replace in their proper position. It is, therefore, advisable to 

 cement a narrow strip of card along the undersurf ace, upon which the abdo- 

 men may be fastened. The wings are so delicate that it is a matter of con- 

 siderable difficulty to expand them. It is, however, not very important, 

 though in some species, e.g., of Anechura, they are brightly coloured. Unless 

 done with the greatest care and skill they hXQ almost certain to tear and be 

 spoilt. Cy.re should be taken that the specimens dry with the legs extended, 

 so that the second tarsal segment may be readily examined. 



For packing earwigs to send through the post, ordinary triangular papers 

 may be used, or they may be packed between layers of velvet. In any case, 

 of course, fullest data should be given. In spirits the bodies become dis- 

 tended and liable to drop off or fall to pieces. 



LITERATURE. 



In the way of literature there is but little to recommend. Dohrn's great 

 "work, Versucli einer Monographie der Dermaptertn, published in the Stettitier 

 entomologische Zeitung in 1863' — 67, is long out of date, though still indispens- 

 able to the student of exotic forms. It is, however, very difiicult to obtain 

 though it may be found in entomological libraries. I do not think it was 

 ever issued in separate form. There has been no systematic work since 

 published, but very many species have been described by various authors 

 in different journals. De Bormans gives an account of the earwigs of Burraah 

 from the collections made by Fea, in the Annali del Museo Civico di Storia 

 Naturale di Genova, second series, "Vol. XIV, pages 371 — 409, but it is a paper 

 that is chiefly of use to the specialist. 



A highly important work upon the development of Diplatys is the well- 

 known paper by Mr. E. E, Green, Farther Noten on Dysci-iiina,^ estw., in 

 the Transactions of the Entomological Society of London, l^^^B), pp. 381^387. 

 It is a work of high value, the result of very careful and exact observation. 



By the time this article is published a complete monograph of the ear- 

 wigs of the world, by M. de Bormans, the great authority upon the group, 

 should appear. It will, however, be in German, and only include species 

 known up to 1898.* 



* This has sinoe appeared in_Paa Tieneiob,^ under the title. Orthoptera forficuUda: and 

 Bemimendce, von A. de Bormans and H. Krauss, Berlin 1900. 



