80 COLEOPTERA. 



mother, except that they have neither wings 

 nor wing-cases. The earwig, that well-known 

 species of the genus Forficula, has been un- 

 justly accused of causing death by penetrating 

 the brain through the ear. This is a vulgar 

 error : — the insect may lodge in the external 

 ear while a person sleeps on the ground, but 

 it has no power to penetrate further. This ac- 

 cident may have given rise to the tale; for it is 

 the habit of the earwig to hide itself wherever 

 it can, and it is no uncommon thing to place 

 the bowl of a tobacco-pipe on an upright stick 

 in gardens as a trap, into which they collect in 

 numbers. 



SPECIFICATION. 



Forficula auriculaiiia. F. elytris apice albis. 

 Linn. Sy$t. Nat. l.p. 686. GmeL l.p. 2038. Fabr. 

 Syst. Ent.p. 269. Spec. Ins. 1. p, 340, Mant. Ins. 

 l.p. 224. 

 Schaeff. Elem. t. 63. 



Icon. t. 144./. 3, 4. 



Inhabits Europe, and is found under the bark of 

 trees, under stones, and in gardens. 



PL 30. a. The body with the wings expanded. b# A 

 horn. c. A leg. 



