772 Journal of the Asiatic Society of Bengal. {December, 1911. 
Lard 
p- dis : 
With reference to the food and habits of earwigs, it is 
interesting to quote an extract from a letter from Dr. Annan- 
dale :— 
‘“The giant stinging-nettle of the Himalayas (Girardinia 
heterophyla, Decne.) is, when in flower, extraordinarily attrac- 
tive to many species of earwigs. I have not seen specimens of 
the group in such variety elsewhere as I did on the inflores- 
cence of this plant at Bhim Tal in Kumaon in September, 
1906. The fruit had already begun to form, and representa- 
tives of the following species were greedily devouring the un- 
ripe seeds :— 
Diplatys siva, Forcipula trispinosa, Allodahlia macropyg4, 
A. coriacea, Forficula planicollis, and Eudohrnia metallica. 
Apparently the plant possesses no attraction for earwigs 
except when in this condition, for I have often examined it at 
nit 
Concerning Diplatys gladiator Mr. Gravely writes: ‘* This 
May-fly is sufficient to send the Diplatys rushing wildly off again, 
I doubt whether the latter ever captures really healthy flies.”’ 
Dr. Annandale has recently taken specimens of both 
Labidura riparia and L. bengalensis under stones betweet 
tide-marks on the shore of the Chilka Lake in N. B. Madras. 
p. 31. 
The classification of the earwigs has undergone a radical 
change owing to the appearance of Zacher's book, and the wor 
1s not yet complete. The system is based upon the structure 
of the opisthomeres, that is to say, the pygidium and its ap 
pendages, upon the venation of the wings, and upon the strue 
ture of the genitalia ; 
. 
Most of these characters are too difficult for ordinary PU 
poses of identification, as their study involves the dissection of 
slides Specimens and preparation of very numerous microscopl’ 
ee The order Dermaptera is divided into three suborder’. 
t these two, the Arizenina and Hemimerina each include @ 
Thee subparasitic species foreign to the Indian Faun 
¢ third suborder, the Forficulina, includes the true earwigs- 
