Social Insects. 



37 



insects poSkScss other senses which we do not, tind that they luive 

 sense orgiins with wliich we have :.one to compare, lie who tries 

 to comprehend the mechanism of our own senses — the manner 

 in which the subtler sensations are conveyed to the brain — will 

 realize how little we know thereof after all tliat has l)een written. 

 It is not to be wondered at, therefore, that authors should differ 

 as to the nature of many of the sense organs of insects, or that 

 there should l)e little or no absolute knowledge of the manner in 

 which the senses act upon them. The solution of psychical 

 pi'oblems may never, indeed, be obtained, so infinitely minute are 

 the ultinuite atoms of matter; and those wbo have given most at- 



FiCt. 8. — Sensory organs in insects: A, one element of the eye of Cockroach 

 (after Grenacher) ; B, diagratumatic section of compound eye in insect (after Miall & 

 Denny) ; C, organs of smell in Melolontha (after Kraepelin) ; I), a, />, sense organs of ab- 

 dominal appendages of Chvysopila, c, small pit on terminal joint of palpus in Perla 

 (after I'ackard) ; £, diagram of sensory ear of insect (after Miall & Denn}') ; /^, auditoi y 

 apparatus of Meconema, a, fore tibia of this locust, 6, diagrammatic section through same 

 (after Graber); G, auditory apparatus of Caloptenus seen from inner side, showing tym- 

 panum, auditory nerve, terminal ganglion, stigma and'opening and closing muscle of 

 same, as well as muscle of tympanum membrana (after Graber).— All very greatly en- 

 larged. 



tention to the subject must echo the sentiment of Lubbock, that 

 the principle impression which the more recent works on the in- 

 telligence and senses of anihials leave on the mind, is, that we know 

 very little indeed on the subject. We can but empirically observe 



