256 ENTOMOLOGISK TIDSKRIFT IQ I 7. 



occurrence and distribution or absence of the trichobothria 

 afford fine characters for the orders, it seems to me that 

 Dahl overrates their value very considerably; the above- 

 named occurrence of typical trichobothria on the antennae of 

 the Thysanura entotropha, on the cerci in one of the two families 

 of Thysanura ectotropha, and of a little modified trichobothria in 

 a very low percentage of the Forficulidse induce me, together 

 with other considerations, to suppose that the systematic 

 value of the trichobothria is of less high degree. For the 

 rest, Dahl referred the Cryptostemmatoidse to the order 

 »Phalangida» and removed the Cyphophthalmi to the Acarida, 

 an anomalous classification which scarcely will be accepted 

 by any contemporaneous or future Zoologist, who possesses 

 some knowledge of the whole class. Prof, J. C. SCHIÖDTE 

 more than once pronounced to me the most correct dicton: 

 »classification is fine tact» — and in the history of Zoology 

 many classifications proposed show the opposite of »fine tact» 

 in their makers. 



Finally the question: are the trichobothria auditory or 

 specially developed tactile organs? Their occurrence in some 

 Insects speaks strongly against the interpretation, that they 

 have an auditory function; that the Insects with trichobothria 

 should be able to hear and all other Insects be deaf is certainly 

 wrong; that the trichobothria in the Insects mentioned or at 

 least in the Thysanura entotropha are auditory organs, while 

 other Insects which can hear have quite different auditory organs, 

 is highly improbable. And that at least some Insects which 

 do not possess trichobothria, can hear is certain. The best 

 proof has, as far as I know, been published by J. C. SCHIÜDTE, 

 and as it seems to be nearly unknown among Zoologists, I 

 will translate the most important part of his text (Naturh. 

 Tidsskr. 3. R., Vol. VIII, 1870, p. 188). SCHlÖDTE experi- 

 mented with specimens oï Nccrophortis, especisWy N.vespillo. 

 »When listening to a flowerpot in which several specimens 

 of Necrophonis are about letting down a carcass [a small 

 mammal or bird], one hears distinctly that they during the 

 work underground communicate mutually by the language of 

 stridulation. The sound is now higher and hasty, now deeper 

 and smoothered, and on the whole modulated in the most 



