FARWIG, OR FORFICULA. 129 
see a card with a watch crystal upon it 
— bring it carefully here, 
Lucy, What a monstrous earwig there 
is under the crystal ! I see, indeed, that 
it has short elytra. 
Mother. Try to describe it. 
Lucy, Antennae, taper ; elytra, short. 
Will you lend me your magnifying glass, 
that I may look at the feet ? — Oh 1 I dis- 
tinctly see three little joints in each foot. 
In the antennae, I think I can reckon 
fourteen joints : how very delicate they 
are. In the last place, the tail is 
forked*. 
Mother, Very well ; but if you read 
this description, you will find one parti- 
cular that you have omitted. 
Lucy, " Shells tipt with white." I 
did not observe those little tips before; 
but the cases are so very short, that I 
cannot imagine how wings can be con- 
tained under them. 
Mother, The wings are most curiously 
♦ Plate IX. 
g5 
