388 NOISES OF INSECTS. 



pterous insect, makes a sibilant chirping, as I once ob- 

 served at Southwold, where it abounds ; but how pro- 

 duced I cannot say. The most remarkable noise, how- 

 ever, proceeding from insects under alarm, is that emit- 

 ted by the death's-head hawk-moth, and for which it 

 has long been celebrated. The Lejndojitera, though 

 some of them, as we have seen, produce a sound when 

 they fly, at other times are usually mute insects: but this 

 alarmist — for so it may be called, from the terrors which 

 it has occasioned to the superstitious^ — when it walks, 

 and more particularly when it is confined, or taken into 

 the hand, sends forth a strong and sharp cry, resembling 

 that of a mouse, but more plaintive, and even lament- 

 able, which it continues as long as it is held. This cry 

 does not appear to be produced by the wings; for when 

 they, as well as the thorax and abdomen, are held down, 

 the cries of the insect become still louder. Schroeter 

 says that the animal, when it utters its cry, rubs its 

 tongue against its head'' ; and Rosel, that it produces it 

 by the friction of the thorax and abdomen*^. But Reau- 

 mur found, after the most attentive examination, that 

 the cry came from the mouth, or rather from the tongue; 

 and he thought that it was produced by the friction of 

 the palpi against that organ. When, by means of a pin, 

 he unfolded the spiral tongue, the cry ceased ; but as 

 soon as it was rolled up again between the palpi it was 

 renewed. He next prevented the palpi from touching 

 it, and the sound also ceased ; and upon removing only 

 one of them, though it continued, it became much more 

 feeble'*. Huber, however, denies that it is produced by 



» Vol,. I. 3i. »> Xaturforscher Stk. xxi, 77- 



' III. 16. " Rcaum. ii. 290—. 



