THE WATER TIPULA. 
299 
feast, and sucks those juices which they first began to broach. 
Still, however, this insect is not so noxious as it would seem ; 
and seldom is found but where the mischief has been origin- 
ally begun by others. Like all of this class, the earwig is 
hutched from an egg. As there are various kinds of this ani- 
mal, so they choose different places to breed in : in general, 
however, they lay their eggs under the bark of plants, or in 
the clefts of trees, when beginning to decay. They proceed 
from the egg in that reptile state in which they are most 
commonly seen ; and, as they grow larger, the wings bound 
under the skin begin to burgeon. It is amazing how very 
little room four large wings take up before they are pro- 
truded ; for no person could ever conceive such an expansion 
of natural drapery could be rolled up in so small a packet. 
The sheath in which they are enveloped, folds and covers 
them so neatly, that the animal seems quite destitute of 
wings ; and even wlien they are burst from their confinement, 
the animal, by the power of the muscles and joints which it 
has in the middle of its wing , can closely fold them into a 
very narrow compass. When the earwig has become a winged 
insect, it Hies in pursuit of the female, ceases to feed, and 
is wholly employed in the business of propagation. It lives, 
in its winged state, but a few days; and, having taken care 
for the continuance of posterity, dries up, and dies, to all 
appearance consumptive. 
To this order of insects we may also refer the Cuckow 
Spit, or Froth Worm , that is often found hid in that frothy 
matter which we find on the surface of plants. It has an ob- 
long, obtuse body; and a large head, with small eyes. The 
external wings, for it has four, are of a dusky brown colour, 
marked with two white spots: the bead is black. The spume 
in which it is found wallowing, is all of its own formation, 
and very much resembles frothy spittle. It proceeds from 
the vent of the animal, and other parts ol the body ; and, if 
it be wiped away, a new quantity will be quickly seen ejected 
from the little animal’s body. Within this spume, it is 
seen in time to acquire four tubercles on its back, wherein 
the wings are enclosed : these bursting, from a reptile it 
becomes a winged animal ; and thus rendered perfect, it Hies 
to meet its mate, and propagate its kind. 
The Water Tipuea also belongs to this class. It has 
an oblong, sleoder body, with four feet fixed upon the 
breast, and font feelers near the mouth. It has four weak 
