344 THE LIFE OF AN INSECT. 



of these simple eyes ; the spider is, among others, 

 thus endowed. But more commonly they are 

 only three in number. Sometimes they are not 

 imbedded in the substance of the head, as might 

 be supposed ; but are actually placed upon the end 

 of a little stalk, presenting an appear- 

 ance as singular, as if at the end of a 

 bull's horn the animal were to possess an 

 eye in addition to his two others. Swam- 

 merdam and Reaumur performed some 

 Eye on a s taik. singular experiments upon these eyes in 

 the bee. Reaumur varnished the back of the head, 

 where these eyes are situated, in more than twenty 

 bees, so as, of course, entirely to blind these eyes ; 

 but leaving the large compound eye untouched. 

 The bees were then set at liberty within a few 

 paces from the hive, but not one of them knew 

 where to find it again ! nor, indeed, did they appear 

 to make any search for it. They flew at random 

 to the adjacent plants, but never to a distance ; 

 and though they seemed to have no difficulty in 

 flying, they did not attempt to fly up into the 

 air. 



The compound eyes of insects are, perhaps, among 

 the most wonderful works of the Creator's hands., 



