The Earwig 
15 
back into the covers. The wing-covers, 
or elytra, are in the case of some foreign 
species of earwig very beautiful, having a 
bright, metallic lustre. These pincers are 
then primarily given to the insect as tools 
for folding the wings. They can be 
employed as weapons of offence or defence, 
though it is not easy to see that they can 
be of a very terrible nature when used for 
either purpose. If you pick up a well- 
developed earwig and cause it to use its 
pincers you will be in a position to gauge 
the use to which these can be put, and in 
any case it will drive away for ever any 
loathing begotten of fear which you may 
previously have experienced when the 
insect is near you. 
Damage to Gardens. — Yet another 
cause of dislike is the damage which they 
undoubtedly do in gardens and flower 
beds by gnawing the petal edges of certain 
flowers — notably dahlias. More especially 
is it noticeable in flowers the plants of which 
possess hollow stems. This troublesome 
trait in the earwig character may be much 
abated, if not obviated, by placing in the 
immediate vicinity of the flowers something 
