106 INSECT MISCELLANIES. 



In insects again, to come directly to our subject, 

 the eyes, as we shall see in the next chapter, are 

 varied infinitely more than in the larger animals, 

 both in structure, number, and position, and this we 

 think affords a fair presumption that the ears may 

 exhibit a corresponding variety. But it will be ob- 

 jected, we foresee, that the ears of insects have never 

 been discovered, or at least that no two observers are 

 agreed about what they consider the organs of hear- 

 ing in insects. We should answer that this is one 

 of the arguments which tends to corroborate our 

 position. The opinion that the antennae are the 

 organs in question, appears to correspond most nearly 

 with our preceding remarks, and though rejected by 

 many distinguished naturalists, it is maintained by 

 others inferior to none in accuracy and acumen, 

 among whom we may reckon Bonsdorf, Goze, and 

 Christ, and our own deservedly celebrated entomo- 

 logists, Kirby and Spence, though on one occasion 

 they think the antennaB may be organs of smell. 



The antennas, then, according to these views, cor- 

 respond to the ears of larger animals in number, in 

 position, in standing out from the head ; and what 

 is no less important, unless we admit this opinion, 

 no other organ seems to represent the ears, and 

 hence it appears highly probable, that their primary 

 function is hearing, whatever their secondary functions 

 may be, as the primary function of the tongue is 

 tasting, though it is in some cases used as an organ 

 of touch. According to this view they may be used 

 as tactors, or as hygrometers, if we may use the term, 

 to discover the state of the weather, which some in- 

 sects appear to be skilful in discovering, and which 

 Lehmann terms Aeroscepsy. * 



^ I once was observing,' says Kirby, Uhe motions 

 of a weevil {Jipion) under a pocket microscope : on 



* De Antennis Insect, ii, 65. 



