256 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



Nov. 1, 1S70. 



"and accordingly, we find it associated with the 

 tegumentary and muscular systems, and ruled by 

 the law which regulates their development. We 

 still, however, distinguish cerebro-spinal and sym- 

 pathetic nerves. The brain is situated, without 

 exception, above the anterior extremity of the 

 digestive tube, and connected by two lateral trunks 

 with the spinal cord. Instead of being situated in 

 the dorsal region of the body, as in the vertebrata, 

 it is found, on the contrary, without exception, 

 along the abdominal line. This difference in the 

 disposition of the nervous system constitutes one 

 of the essential characters distinguishing the two 

 great primary subdivisions of the animal series. 

 The number of the ganglia in the simpler forms of 

 the articulata corresponds in general to the number 

 of rings of the body ; but in the higher groups 

 there is often a fusion of two or more ganglia into 

 one. This chauge is well exemplified in the de- 

 velopment of insects, spiders, and crustaceans; the 

 spinal cord of the articulata, like that of the verte- 

 brata, is composed of motary and sensitive columns. 

 In insects a special nervous system, the sympathetic, 

 is distributed to the organs of vegetative life." 



Fig. 21". Distribution of the cerebro-spinal system in a beetle 

 — Curul/us nemoralis. 



Professor Cams, in his introduction to the 

 "Comparative Anatomy of Animals," after giving 

 a minute descriptiou of the various nerves and 

 ganglia of insects, says : "In the same maimer 

 that the whole body in the perfect insect is more 

 absolutely divided into segments, so also this 

 inferior nervous mass is divided into separate 

 portions; viz. into a chain of four ganglia; 

 whilst, at the same time, the cerebral ganglion 

 becomes more complete, and gives off several 

 considerable nerves— large optic nerves in par- 

 ticular." He also says: "In most of them" 

 (speaking of beetles), " the larva?, as well as the 

 perfect insects, possess a true chain of ganglia, 

 the number of ganglia, however, being usually 

 greatest in the larva ; a remark which also applies 

 to the larva of butterflies." 



So much then to prove that insects not only have 



a number of nerves and ganglia " scattered over 

 their bodies ;" but that they have a regular nervous 

 system united to certain ganglia, which ganglia 

 form a centre for the concentration of all nervous 

 feeling ; and which is, I have no doubt, productive 

 of sensations of pain or pleasure according to the 

 manner in which they are acted upon by external 

 objects. 



We come now to look at Mr. Clifford's experi- 

 mental arguments. He says : " A daddy long- 

 legs shakes off a leg or two at a touch, and walks 

 upon the window-pane thereafter with utter 

 indifference." How does he know that he walks 

 about " with utter indifference " ? 



He says, further, that " Wasps, with the abdo- 

 men entirely removed, will regale themselves upon 

 some sweet compound with as much satisfaction as 

 before." How does he know that it does it "with 

 as much satisfaction as before"? Again, he says: 

 "If you remove both wings from a fly, without 

 otherwise hurting it, it seems in no wise annoyed, 

 otherwise than by the hindrance to its powers of 

 flight." I can only repeat the same question: 

 how does he know that it is " in no wise annoyed " 

 by the loss of its wings ? It is very easy to make 

 such assertions, but not so easy to prove them. If 

 Mr. Clifford will take either a fly or a " daddy long- 

 legs," and submit the root of its leg or wing to a high 

 microscopic power, and then wrench off the limb, 

 if he will then examine the ghastly wound he has 

 made, observe the number of muscles and tendons 

 he has torn asunder, and watch the quivering flesh 

 he has exposed, I think he will be inclined to alter 

 his mind, and come to the conclusion that insects, 

 after all, must feel pain. 



I am not prepared to say precisely to what ex- 

 tent they feel pain or pleasure ; but, undoubtedly, 

 they feel as much, in proportion to their life and the 

 extent of their nervous systems, as man himself, 

 and, in their proper sphere, enjoy themselves 

 equally as much as we do ourselves. Who shall 

 say that the insect myriads basking in the warm 

 sunshine are not enjoying the pleasures of the hour 

 as much as Mr. Clifford ever did ? Or who shall 

 say that the beetle we tread upon does not feel a 

 pang equally as great iu proportion as when a son 

 of Anak yields up the ghost? Unless by some 

 strange metamorphosis we could become trans- 

 formed into Articulata, we can never come to a 

 decided and definite knowledge of the actual 

 amount of pain felt by each species of insect. 

 What are the dictates of reason and common sense 

 upon the question? Most certainly they tend to 

 show that this class of organized beings are in 

 every respect possessed of the requisite means for 

 enjoying their existence and fulfilling the functions 

 of nature, as well as the instruments by which their 

 life may be marred by suffering and tortured by 

 pain. The manuer in which one class of insects 



