EARWIGS 2 I 3 



enough, the one given in the standard works of Fischer, Brunner, 

 and Finot. Meinert gives without hesitation 14 as the number; 

 Bateson, I.e., found that 14 joints occurred in 70 or 80 per cent 

 of adult individuals, that 1 3 was not uncommon, that 1 2 or 1 1 

 occasionally occurred, and that tlie number may differ in the two 

 antennae of the same incUvidual. Tliese variations, wliich seem 

 at first sight very remarkable, may with probability be con- 

 sidered as due to the fact that in the young state the number 

 of joints increases with age, and tliat tlie organs are so fragile 

 that one or more of the joints is very frequently then lost, the 

 loss being more or less completely repaired during the subse- 

 quent development. Thus a disturbing ageircy exists, so that the 

 normal number of 14 joints is often departed from, though it 

 appears to be really natural for this species. Bateson has also 

 pointed out that when the normal number of articulations is not 

 present, the relative proportions of joints 3 and 4 are much dis- 

 turbed. It is, however, probable that the increase in number of 

 the joints talves place by division of the third or third and fourth 

 joints following previous growth tliereof, as in Termitidae ; so 

 that the variations, as was suggested by Bateson, may be due to 

 mutilation of the antennae, and consequent incompletion of the 

 normal form of tlae parts from which the renovation takes place ; 

 growth preceding segmentation — in some cases the growth may 

 be like that of the adult, while the segmentation remains more 

 incomplete. In the young the forceps of the two sexes differ but 

 sliglrtly ; the form of the abdominal rings is, on the contrary, 

 according to Fischer, already different in the two sexes in the 

 early stage. 



The common earwig has a very bad reputation with gardeners, 

 wlro consider it to be an injurious Insect, but it is probable that 

 the little creature is sometimes made the scapegoat for damage 

 done hj otlier animals ; it appears to be fond of sweets, for it 

 often makes its way to the interior of fruits, and it no doubt 

 nibbles the petals, or other delicate parts of flowers and vegetables. 

 Camerano, however, states, I.e., that the specimens he kept in 

 confinement preferred dead Insects rather than the fruits he 

 offered them. Eiihl considers the earwig to be fond of a car- 

 nivorous diet, eating larvae, small snails, etc., and only attacking 

 flowers when these fail.^ It has a great propensity for concealing 

 1 Mf. Schwdz. ent. Gcs. vii. 1SS7, p. 310. 



