54 THE SENSES OF BEES. 



wrath, for she was evidently in a state of great irrita- 

 tion, but continued to surround the cell of the captive 

 queen with a dogged-looking obstinacy, apparently 

 expecting and prepared for another attempt on it by 

 the enraged sovereign. Huber may be in the right, 

 and his general accuracy affords a presumption in his 

 favour; nevertheless, it would be very satisfactory 

 to have his accuracy in this particular point confirmed 

 by some other observer. Taking it for granted that 

 the sense of hearing does exist in Bees, where are 

 we to look for the situation of the organ ? Natura- 

 lists are not agreed on this point, but the majority 

 seem to vest it in the antennae. Kirby and Spence 

 notice the analogy borne by antennae to the ears of 

 vertebrate animals, such as their corresponding in 

 number, and standing out of the head ; and observe 

 that no other organ has been found which can be 

 supposed to represent the ear. In that case this ap- 

 pendage of the head of the Bee must be regarded as 

 a compound organ, exercising the functions of both 

 hearing and touch. It has already been hinted that 

 some observers have regarded it as the organ of 

 vision ; and we shall afterwards find that there are 

 those who look upon it as the organ of smell. In 

 this deficiency of precise knowledge on the subject 

 we may perhaps rest satisfied with the opinion of 

 Kirby, that " the antennae, by a peculiar structure, 

 may collect notices from the atmosphere, receive 

 pulses or vibrations, and communicate them to the 

 sensorium, which communications, though not pre- 

 cisely to be called hearing, may answer the same 



