SENSES OF INSECTS. 251 



teristic of the male insect* : but if we examine such an- 

 tennas, we shall find that their most sensitive parts can- 

 not come in contact with the earth or other bodies for 

 exploring their way; but having thus a greater surface 

 exposed to the action of the atmosphere, they have more 

 points to receive vibrations, or any pulses or other notices 

 communicated to it. It is thus, probably, that in their 

 flights, when they approach within a certain distance, 

 they discover the station of the other sex. Even the 

 plumose antennas of male gnats may in some respects 

 thus be acted upon. In the Lamellicorn beetles, the 

 knob of these organs in both sexes consists of laminae, 

 the external ones on their outside, of a corneous sub- 

 stance; while their internal surface, and the inner laminae 

 which are included between them, as an oyster between 

 the valves of its shell are covered with nervous papillae. 

 If you examine the proceedings of one of these little 

 animals, you will find before it moves from a state of 

 repose that its antennae emerge, and the laminae diverge 

 from each other ; but that it does not apply them to sur- 

 faces to explore its way, but merely keeps them open to 

 receive notices from the atmosphere. Even simple an- 

 tennae are often employed in this way, as well as for 

 touch. I once noticed a species of Leptocerus, a tricho- 

 pterous genus, in which these organs are very long, that 

 was perched upon a blade of grass; its antennae vibrated, 

 and it kept moving them from side to side in the air, as 

 if thus by aeroscepsy it was inquiring what was passing 

 around it. Dr. Wollaston has an observation bearing so 



a VOL. III. p. 319-. 



