73 



Chapter IV. 



HEARING IN INSECTS. 



The speech of Mamilius, in the Winter's Tale, — 



I will tell it softly, 



Yon crickets shall not hear it*, 

 shows that Shakspeare had a more accurate know- 

 ledge of insects, than two of our most distinguished 

 naturaUsts — Linnaeus and Bonnet, who are disposed 

 to deny that insects can hear at all. *' Passing- by a 

 hedge," says the latter, *' upon which there was a 

 nest of common caterpillars {Clisiocampa neustria?)^ 

 I remarked that the sound of my voice appeared to 

 incommode them, for when I spoke they briskly agi- 

 tated with repeated jerks {reprises) the fore-part of 

 their bodies. I did not indeed suppose that they 

 possessed an organ of hearing, — I know no observa- 

 tion which proves insects to be endowed with this 

 sense, — but I conjectured with more probability, that 

 the sound of my voice was communicated to the 

 organ of touch in the caterpillars, — a fact which 

 proves that they have a very delicate touch f." 



It would have been well, however, if Bonnet had 

 made sure of the fact before theorizing upon it, as it 

 appears to us he must have been mistaken, and might 

 have seen the lackeys jerking themselves in the same 

 way, altogether independent of the sound of his voice. 

 We have repeatedly watched by the hour these cater- 

 pillars repeating the jerks in question, when it could 



* Winter's Tale, Actii., Sc. 1. 

 t Bonnet, CEuvres, ii. 36, 



H 



