From the illustration we may understand how the Earwig opens and closes its wings. From the point _a_ veins, which are thickened about halfway down, radiate to the hinder edge of the wing, and a little beyond the thickening they are connected by a vein which runs parallel with the hinder edge. These radiating veins are brought together, so that there is a fan-like closing, like that of the Cockroach, but from a different centre. The wing is then folded back at the place where the veins are thickened, and then there is a second transverse fold at the point _a_, so that the only part of the wing now visible is the leathery patch, which projects beyond the wing-case when the wing is tucked away. It is not difficult to unfold the wing of a dead specimen, under water, using a needle and fine brush. Mr. E. A. Butler[25] recommends a simple but excellent plan for unfolding and preserving the wing, by gumming it, with the upper surface downwards, to a piece of card, and gradually unfolding it and fastening it down. This is not so easy as it may seem, but with patience and perseverance success will be obtained; and a similar method may be adopted with the wings of other Insects, which may be mounted in this way without any trouble. Thus they may be easily preserved for examination at a future time, or for comparison with the wings of other Insects. It is rather remarkable that an insect like the Common Earwig, which very rarely takes to flight, should have such a complex method of folding its wings. Dr. Sharp says that though the Earwig ‘is scarcely surpassed in numbers by any British insect, yet it is rarely seen on the wing. It is probable that the majority of individuals of this species may never make use of their organs of flight, or go through the complex process of folding and unfolding them.’ Let us choose our next example from the Leaping Orthop´tera. They may be distinguished at a glance from their relatives that run, but do not leap, by the peculiar structure of the third pair of legs. These are much longer and stouter than the other two pairs, and the thigh is very muscular. This insect is a very good type of the family Locus´tidae, to which, however, none of the insects popularly called ‘locusts’ belong. They are included in another family (_Acridi´idae_), where the common British Grasshoppers are also placed. The Locustids and the true locusts may be distinguished by the difference in their antennae: in the latter these organs are short, in the former they are very long and delicate.