346 



,,,,.., nt. and numerous observations enabled us to be certain 

 tli.it many insects enjoyed keen powers of vision suited exactly 



the conditions under which they lived. The auditory organs 



of insects undoubtedly existed, although, possessing a very great 



variety of structure, they were in many cases difficult to identify; 



but where observed, they appeared competent to receive and 



transmit vibrations of sound, and, just as many insects had 



multiple eyes, so some seemed to have multiple ears. The 



auditory organs of the Orthoptera (crickets, etc.) more nearly 



complied with the conditions we might expect to find in organs 



designed to receive such sounds as we ourselves could hear ; but 



their position and number varied considerably in different 



families. In some there were two on each front leg, in others 



two only <»n the back; whilst the pygidium, which was regarded 



as a multiple auditory organ, was found in duplicate upon the 



tail. It was clear that in addition to the senses of hearing and 



sight, insects possessed those of taste, smell, and touch, and that 



some were endowed with that incomprehensible "sense of 



direction " which — though found in certain animals, and more 



especially in birds — seemed wholly absent in the human race. 



Several interesting instances in illustration of these facts were 



given from personal observation. The subject was further 



illustrated by a number of specimens under the microscope, and 



by a number of very fine drawings, mostly in colour — made by the 



lecturer with the aid of microscope and camera lucida — showing 



various types of insect eyes and auditory organs, and some 



- bscure sense-organs found on the palpi of a mosquito (Culex 



maculipennis) and of several ticks. Before closing, the lecturer 



made an interesting statement regarding the figure in Carpenter 



reputi d to be a reproduction of a photograph made through 



an insect's compound eye by Exner. He said that at the 



meeting of the Royal Microscopical Society on November 19th, 



1890, Professor Bell exhibited a print of the original photograph 



by Exner, and, being interested in the matter, he (the lecturer) 



had made a rough copy in his notebook. This showed the letter 



R the right way round, and not reversed right and left as in 



Carpenter. A copy of his notebook drawing was now on the 



table before them. 



A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to Mr. Lewis for his 

 very interesting lecture. 



