Social Insects. 



37 



insects possess other senses which we do not, and that they have 

 sense organs with which we have iione to compare. He who tries 

 to comprehend tiie mechanism of our own senses the manner 

 in which the subtler sensations are conveyed to the brain will 

 realize how little we know thereof after all that has been written. 

 It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that authors should differ 

 as to the nature of many of the sense organs of insects, or that 

 there should be little or no absolute knowledge of the manner in 

 which the senses act upon them. The solution of psychical 

 problems may never, indeed, be obtained, so infinitely minute are 

 the ultimate atoms of matter ; and those who have given most at- 



FIG. 8. SENSORY ORGANS IN INSECTS: A, one element of the eye of Cockroach 

 (after Grenadier) ;. B, diagrammatic section of compound eye in insect (after Miall & 

 Denny) ; C, organs of smell in Melolontha (after Kraepelin) ; D, a, b, sense organs of ab 

 dominal appendages of Chrysopila, c, small pit on terminal joint of palpus in Terla 

 (after Packard) ; E, diagram of sensory ear of insect (after Miall & Denny) ; F, auditory 

 apparatus of Meconema, a, fore tibia of this locust, b, diagrammatic section through same 

 (after Graber); G, auditory apparatus of Caloptemis seen from inner side, showing tym 

 panum, auditory nerve, terminal ganglion, stigma and opening and closing muscle of 

 same, as well as muscle of tympanum membrana (after Graber). All very greatly en 

 larged. 



tention to the subject must echo the sentiment of Lubbock, that 

 the principle impression which the more recent works on the in 

 telligence and senses of animals leave on the mind, is, that we know 

 very little indeed on the subject. We can but empirically observe 



