EASTERN UNITED STATES. 



27 



Above tlie eyes are the auteaiiifi, two long, jointed 

 organs, each composed of many joints, which may be 

 divided into three groups, — those of the base, the stalk, 

 and the club. The two joints composing tlie base are 

 larger than the others; the stalk is merely a jointed 

 thread; the club has the joints shorter and broader. In 

 some cases the antennae are bare, in others they are more 

 or less clothed with scales. The use of these organs is 

 not fully known, but they are supposed by many to be 

 organs of hearing. In the upper part of the club are 

 microscopic pits connecting with nerves, showing that 

 the antennae are sense-organs; and it is probable they 

 are not connected with the same sense in ail insects. In 

 some beetles, and some grasshoppers, ants, and bees, the 



sense is without much doubt one of touch; in some 



moths it seems to be one of smell. 



On the under side of the head are the mouth parts. 



These consist first of a three-jointed pair 



of palpi, which are densely covered with 



hair-like scales, and which project out- 

 ward and often curve upward more or 



less closely to the front of the head. Be- 

 tween the palpi, and attached to the head 



near the base of them, is the proboscis, 



or tongue (see Fig. 5). This is a long, 



tapering, horny tube, through which the 



insect sucks or draws up fluid substances 



from flowers or otlier objects. When 



at rest, the tongue is coiled backv/ard 



between the palpi like a watch-spring; 



when uncoiled, it is ofxn as long as the body of the 



insect. It consists of two lateral halves united down 



Fig. 5. 



noad of E. Tity- 

 rus, showing 

 t03i{-ra6 anfl one an- 

 tenna. 



