I826.J Philosophical Transactions f)r 1825, Part II. 205 



the one that follows it by means of a soft, white, very flexible 

 membrane ; in consequence of which, and of the number of the 

 joints, the insect can move and bend the antennae with great 

 facility in every direction, excepting at the very root : there the 

 motion is confined by a ridge that only admits of its being 

 directed from behind, forwards, or vice versa. 



" The anterior edge of each bead is fringed with bristly hair ; 

 which, surrounding the joint that connects it to the following 

 bead, gives to the whole, when viewed by a magnifying lens, 

 the appearance of a sprig ofequisetum. The beads are upon the 

 whole larger, in proportion as they are nearer to the origin of the 

 antennas ; but here and there, and without any regularity in the 

 variation, one of the beads is either much larger or much smaller 

 than those in the vicinity. 



" Whatever be the primary use of the antennae and palpi, on 

 which subject entomologists are not agreed, their general 

 importance is allowed by all ; and is evinced in the particular 

 instance now before us by the extraordinary attention bestowed 

 upon them by this insect. Those who may be led to watch its 

 habits, will repeatedly observe the antennae bent forwards and 

 downwards, by a curious application of the fore-legs towards 

 the mouth : and then by a regulated motion, not unlike that by 

 which the resin is applied to the bow of a violin, they are passed 

 between the maxillae : in order, as it would appear, either to 

 moisten the organs, or to disengage from their surface, particles 

 of dust or other extraneous substances which may have acci- 

 dentally adhered to it. With a more rapid motion the insect 

 from time to time dresses, if I may use the expression, its palpi ; 

 bending them inwards and brushing the surface of their extreme 

 parts by a frequent application of the maxillae. A similar care 

 of the antennae and palpi is observable in the gryllus viridissi- 

 mus ; with the additional circumstance, that that insect very 

 often passes between its maxillae the curiously padded surfaces 

 of its feet, much in the same manner as a cat licks its paws. 



** The Eyes. The gryllotalpa has two compound eyes, as they 

 are called, and two ocelli or stemmata. Latreille uses this 

 expression " ocellus medius subobiteratus ;" from which it may 

 be inferred that he supposes the ocelli to be three in number ; 

 but after the most careful examination I have not been able to 

 discover more than two. The compound eyes are situated 

 immediately behind, but a little exteriorly to the antennae : the 

 corneas of these eyes, which are large in proportion to the size of 

 the head, are segments of a sphere ; flattened however on the 

 inner side so as to present a vertical plane surface to a similar 

 plane surface in the opposite eye ; and it is remarkable that this 

 part of the cornea, and the mere margin of the rest of it, are the 

 only parts capable of freely transmitting light : all the remaining 

 portion is covered, on the interior surface, by an opaque pulpy 



