232 
Mr. G. Newport on the 
to which opinion he inclines ; he suggests however that they may 
be organized so as to fulfil both functions at once. A late author, 
Mr. Samouelle (in the work just noticed, p. 26), also believes them 
to be the organs of smell, and founds his opinion chiefly on the ob- 
servations of Mr. Marsham concerning the habits of the Ichneumon 
manfestator, and which, it must be acknowledged, seem at first to 
lead to the conclusion. The account given by Mr. Marsham is, that 
in June, 1787, he observed one of this species on the top of a post 
in Kensington Gardens. “It moved along,” he says, “ with great 
rapidity, with its antennae bent in the form of an arch, and, with a 
strong vibratory motion in them, felt about until it came to a hole 
made by some insect, into which it thrust them quite up to the 
head. It remained about a minute in this situation, apparently 
very busy, and then, drawing its antennae out, came round to the 
opposite side of the hole, and then thrust them in again and 
remained nearly the same time. It next proceeded to one side 
of the hole, and repeated the same operation there. Having 
now again withdrawn its antennae, it turned back, and, dexter- 
ously measuring a proper distance, threw back its abdomen over 
its head and thorax, and projected its long and delicate tube at 
its tail into the hole. After remaining nearly two minutes in 
this position, it drew out the tube, turned round, and again ap- 
plied its antennae to the hole for nearly the same time as before, 
and then again inserted its tube. This operation was repeated 
three times ; but Mr. Marsham approaching too near, in order if 
possible to observe with a glass what was passing in the tube, he 
frightened the insect entirely away.” 
“ About a week afterwards Mr. Marsham was in Kensington 
Gardens, and saw several of these ichneumons at work. They 
appeared to pierce the solid wood with their tubes, which they 
forced in even to half their length, constantly passing them be- 
tween the hinder thighs, which they closed in order to keep the 
tube straight w'hen over-resistance would otherwise have forced 
them to bend. It appeared truly surprising to see an instrument, 
apparently weak and slender, able, with the strength of so small 
an animal, to pierce solid wood, half or three-quarters of an inch 
deep ; but on particular attention it was discovered that all those 
that appeared to pierce the solid wood, did it through the centre 
of a small white spot resembling mold or mildew, which, on mi- 
nute examination, was found to be fine white sand, delicately 
closing up a hole made by the Apis maxillosa , and where no doubt 
there were young bees deposited.” 
The insects, it appears, often “ thrust their antennae into holes 
