116 HAUSTELLATA. — LEPIDOPTERA. 



suffering from an epidemic disease, tended to confirm the notions 

 of the superstitious in that district, and the disease was attributed 

 by them entirely to the visitations of these hapless insects ! 



Considerable diversity of opinion prevails amongst naturalists 

 respecting the organ which enables the insect to make the noise 

 above alluded to ; and common as the insect is, the point remains 

 undecided. Reaumur and Ro'esel attribute it to the friction of its 

 maxillae against its palpi, an opinion which has been followed by 

 many, and apparently with justice, as the structure of the latter 

 organs seems calculated for the purpose ; but Engramelle informs 

 us that M. de Johet plucked out the maxillae and cut off the palpi 

 of one of these insects, and yet the noise was produced when the 

 wings were agitated ; he, consequently, imagined that the instru- 

 ment causing the noise was connected with these latter appendages ; 

 and, upon an examination of them, he detected two concave scales 

 (the petagiae ? common to all Lepidoptera) at their base, which he 

 infers were the objects in question ; for by depriving a second spe- 

 cimen thereof, the insect became mute : according to M. de Johet, 

 therefore, the noise is occasioned by the air being suddenly propelled 

 against these scales by the action of the wings. Again, M. Lorrey 

 states that it arises from the air escaping rapidly from peculiar cavi- 

 ties communicating with the spiracles, and furnished with a fine tuft of 

 hairs on the sides of the abdomen. In the number of the Annales des 

 Sciences Naturelles, &c. for March last, is a note by M. Duponchel, 

 relative to the observations of M. Passerini on this subject. After 

 alluding to the opinions of MM. Reaumur, Ro'esel, and Lorrey, 

 M. Duponchel tells us, that he (M. P.) controverts them, by stating 

 that the noise is produced from the interior of the head, in which is 

 a cavity in communication with the trunk or maxillae, and between 

 which are placed the requisite muscles for its elevation and de- 

 pression : he also notes, that having cut off the abdomen the noise 

 continued, as was also the case when the tongue was extirpated; 

 and although it ceased when the muscles above-mentioned were 

 paralyzed, it was reproduced upon passing a strong pin sharply and 

 vertically into the head. He further remarks, with reference to 

 the opinion of M. Lorrey, that although both sexes utter the cry 

 in question, one of them alone is furnished with the apparatus 

 mentioned by him, an apparatus likewise found in other Crepus- 

 cularia, especially Macroglossa, which are mute. M. Duponchel 

 also observes that a membrane exists betwixt the eyes, which does 



