IXSECTS.] 



MUSEUM OF ANIMATED NATURE. 



325 



relative proportions are altered, or, so to speak, new 

 fasliioned. But indeed before we leave the Mandi- 

 bulata, we find a remarkable modification in the 

 mouth of some insects which lap the honey of 

 flowers, as the bee, which is not haiistellate, though 

 the term proboscis has been applied to its mouth, 

 from an erroneous idea. 



In the Bee and its allies, the mandibles are large 

 and powerful, the labrum varies in shape, but is 

 distinct. The maxillae are elongated and modified 

 into a sheath for the tongue, and are affixed to the 

 mentum or base of the labium, with small palpi. 

 The labium is elongated, and articulates with the 

 tongue, which is carried from it. The tongue, 

 which in most insects is short, is long and slender. 

 The labial palpi have four joints, the most which 

 these organs ever have, and they are remarkable for 

 exceeding in length the maxillary palpi, which are 

 ordinarily the longest. The two first joints are com- 

 pressed, the two last joints are small and are set on 

 below the apex oC the second joint. 



Returning to the tonsrue, we find it sheathed at 

 the base, with two membranous appendages, found 

 also in piedaceous beetles, and termed paraglossse. 

 The upper part of the tongue is cartilaginous, and 

 remarkable for a number of transverse rings ; it is 

 ' moved by numerous muscles. Below the middle is 

 a membrane longitudinally folded, when not in use, 

 but capable of being distended to a considerable 

 size. This membranous bag receives the honey 

 which the tongue laps from the flowers. 



Fig. 3348 exhibits the tongue of the bee — A, the 

 head ; a a, the tongue : B, the tongue displayed ; 

 b b, the tongue ; c, the sheath of the tongue ; d, 

 muscles for moving the tongue : C, the tongue 

 greatly magnified, to show its annulated character. 



Fig! 3349, a, the apparatus of the bee's mouth ; the 

 sheaths of the tongue being opened, and the tongue 

 stretched out ; b, the under side of the apparatus, 

 the tongue lodged in the sheath ; c, the under side 

 of the tongue, the maxillary sheath opened. 



Fig. 3350 represents the tongue of the hive-bee. 

 c, the tongue ; at its base are the paragloisae, and 

 externally to these the labial palpi. These are all 

 base upon the labium ; then follows the mentum, 

 and on each side are seen the sheath-like maxillae ; 

 b, the hinder leg of the worker-bee ; d, the part on 

 which the pollen is carried. 



Fig. 3351 is the under side of the head of a bee 

 belonsing to the genus Melitta, showing the mouth. 

 a, the tongue. In Apis the tongue is generally long, 

 and the proboscis itself has two joints, one near the 

 base, and another about the middle, that at the base 

 directing it outwards, that in the middle directing 

 it inwards; when folded, the apex of the tongue 

 points backwards. In Melitta the tongue is short, 

 and the proboscis has but one fold, which is near 

 the base, and when folded the apex of the tongue 

 points forwards. 



The tongue of the bee is admirably adapted for 

 clearing the honey out of the deep nectaries of 

 flowers, such as the Larkspur (Delphinium choi- 

 lanthum). Fig. 3352, A, or the Columbine (Aqui- 

 legia bicolor), B. This organ can be unfolded with 

 the greatest rapidity, and moved about in every di- 

 rection ; sweeping the nectary with the utmost ad- 

 dress ; the honey, as fast as collected previously to 

 being swallowed and consigned to the honey-bag, 

 is deposited in the membranous sac already no- 

 ticed, which soon becomes greatly distended. 



With respect to the Wasp, Hornet, &c., which in 

 many points resemble the bee, they differ from the 

 latter in the non-development of the tongue, and in 

 the size and strength of the mandibles. 



The tongue of the bee then is not a tubular 

 haustellate organ, but intended for lapping up 

 honey; and having urged this distinction, let us now 

 attend to the true haustellate mouth, as we see it 

 displayed in many insects ; and, first, the Butterfly, 

 which, like the bee, revels among the flowers, and 

 drains their nectar treasures. In the butterfly and 

 moth we find alone spiral proboscis coiled up under 

 the head, but capable of being unfolded. This pro- 

 boscis is foimed by the maxilliB or lower jaws. 

 Instead of being hard pincers, these organs are fa- 

 shioned into slender tubes, and together form a long 

 tubular apparatus, like the fine tendril of a vine. 

 Each maxilla is lengthened into a long, annulated, 

 cartilaginous filament, hollowed out longitudinally, 

 and governed by two layers of spiral muscles ; the 

 sides which oppose each other are channelled like 

 a split reed, so that when the edges of each tubular 

 filament are put together, and interlocked by means 

 of a multitude of minute barbs, like those along the 

 plumelets of a feather, they form a tube of a some- 

 what square shape, and placed almost intermedi- 

 ately. Thus then we have three tubes, of which the 

 central leads to the gullet ; and it is through this 

 that the honey of flowers is imVjibed. What then, 

 it may be asked, is the use of the two lateral tubes? 

 As the butterfly cannot exhaust the air in tho tube, 

 a* animals breathing by means of lungs would ex- 

 haust a pipe continued from the mouth, and so suck 



up liquid, it would appear that the lateral tubes, by 

 the action of the spiral fibres surrounding them, 

 alternately compress and dilate the central com- 

 partment, which, during the dilatation, draws up the 

 nectar, into which the end of the proboscis is 

 dipped. These filamentous maxillae are developed 

 at the expense of the other parts of the mouth, which, 

 though rudimentary, may nevertheless be demon- 

 strated. There are mandibles to be discerned, a 

 labrum or labium, and maxillary and labia! palpi; 

 the latter, indeed, appear on each side of the pro- 

 boscis in the form of two plumose appendages. 



Fig. 3353 represents the proboscis and mouth of 

 a moth (Sphinx celereo), considerably magnified. A, 

 profile of the head with the sucker unrolled ; B, 

 the labrum and mandibles ; C, the jaw, and part of 

 the sucker ; D, labial palpi ; E, portion of the 

 sucker, showing the three tubes of which it is com- 

 posed, viewed from above ; F, the same part viewed 

 from beneath. 



Another form of sucker, in which the haustellum 

 is adapted also for puncturing the bark and surface 

 of the leaves of trees, is displayed by the Aphides, 

 the serious ravages of which in gardens, orchards, 

 and hop-grounds, are so well known. In the Brown 

 Aiphis of the oak (Aphis quercus) the perforating 

 sucker is longer than the body, and when not in 

 operation is carried between the limbs close to the 

 body. It consists of a transparent tube, with an 

 orifice of extreme minuteness, and within are two 

 instruments which Rfiaumur supposed fulfilled the 

 office of the piston in a pump. At Fig. 3354, a 

 shows the Aphis of the natural size, with the sucker 

 bBut under it and protruding like a tail ; b, the 

 same magnified ; c, the sucker magnified. 



One species of Aphis (Aphis lanigera, Illiger, 

 Eriosoma mali, Leach) is exceedingly injurious to 

 apple-trees. This pest of the orchard has only been 

 known in our island within the present century ; Mr. 

 Knapp says it was first observed in the West of 

 England, in 1810, in the nursery gardens of Messrs. 

 Millar and Sweet, near Bristol ; but Salisbury states 

 that it was brought to this country from Fiance in 

 the reign of Louis XIV., when a colony of refugees 

 settled at Paddington, where it first began its de- 

 predations. Sir Joseph Banks traced its supposed 

 first appearance to a nursery in Sloane Street, Chel- 

 sea. But be this as it may, it soon spread over the 

 country, and in 1810 threatened the destruction of 

 the apple-orchards of Gloucestershire. Mr. Knapp 

 thus details its history. " In the spring of the year, 

 a slight heaviness is observed upon the branches of 

 certain species of our orchard fruit. As the season 

 advances, this hoariness increases ; it becomes cot- 

 tony, and towards the middle or end of summer, the 

 under sides of some of the branches are invested 

 with a thick downy substance so long as at times 

 to be sensibly agitated by the air; upon examining 

 this substance we find that it conceals a multitude 

 of small wingless creatures, which are busily em- 

 ployed in preying upon the limb of the tree beneath. 

 This they are well enabled to do by means of a beak 

 terminating in a fine bristle, which, being insinuated 

 through the bark and the sappy part of the wood, 

 enables the creature to extract as with a syringe the 

 sweet vital liquor that circulates in the plant. The 

 sapwood (alburnum) being thus wounded rises in 

 excrescences and nodes all over the branch, and de- 

 forms it ; and the limb deprived of its nutriment 

 grows sickly ; the leaves turn yellow, and the part 

 perishes. Branch after branch is thus assailed till 

 they all become leafless and the tree dies. 



"Aphides attack the young, and softer parts of 

 plants, but this insect seems easily to wound the 

 harder part of the bark of the apple, and by no means 

 makes choice of the most tender parts of the branch. 

 They give a preference to certain sorts, but not al- 

 ways the most rich fruits ; as cider-apples and wild- 

 ings are greatly infested by them, and from some 

 unknown cause other vayetiesseem to be exempted 

 from their depredations. The Wheeler's Russet 

 and Crofton Pippin I have never observed injured 

 by them." 



Thisaphis isviviparous.and the longcottonymatter 

 exuding from the parents i'orms a cradle for the 

 young, enveloping both them and the adult colony. 



" This lanuginous vestiture," says Mr. Knapp, 

 " seems to serve likevvi.se as a vehicle for dispersing 

 the animal, for though most of our species of Aphides 

 are furnished with wings, I have never seen any in- 

 dividual of this American blight so provided ; but 

 the winds, wafting about small tufts of this downy 

 matter, convey the creature with it from tree to 

 tree through the whole orchard. In autumn, when 

 this substance is generally long, the winds and rains 

 of the season effectually disperse these insects, and 

 we observe them endeavouring to secrete themselves 

 in the crannies of any neighbouring substance. 

 Should the Savoy cabbage be near the trees whence 

 they have been dislodged, the cavities of the under 

 side of its leaves are generally favourite asylums for 

 them. Multitudes perish by these rough removals, 

 but numbers yet remain, and we may find them in 



the nodes and crevices on the under sides of the 

 branches at any period of the year, the long cottony 

 vesture being removed ; but still they are enveloped 

 in a fine short downy clothing, to be seen by a mag- 

 nifier, proceeding apparently from every suture or 

 pore of their bodies, and protecting them in their 

 dormant state from the moisture and frosts of our 

 climate. This aphis in a natural state usually 

 awakens and commences its labours very early in 

 the month of March, and the hoariness of its body 

 may be observed increasing daily, but if an infected 

 branch be cut in winter and kept in a warm room, 

 these aphides will awaken speedily, spin their cottony 

 nests, and feed as they are accustomed to do in the 

 genial season." 



When crushed, these aphides are of a dark san- 

 guineous red, with a slight tinge of purple, and a 

 dye might very probably be extracted from them. 



The aphis of the rose is too common and injuri- 

 ous not to have attracted attention"; thousands are 

 often seen clustered together on the tender stem of 

 the flower. Another species, of a black colour, at- 

 tacks the common bean. 



Honey-dew, as it is called, is the produce of va- 

 rious aphides ; it is a sweet viscid fluid which oozes 

 through a pair of projecting tubes at the extremity 

 of the abdomen. 



Some of the aphides, as may be seen, of both sexes, 

 are winged, the wings being four ; others are wing- 

 less. The winged individuals spread abroad, and 

 extroardinary flights of them have been observed. 

 White of Selborne says, "On the Istof August, about 

 half an hour after three in the afternoon, the people 

 of Selborne were surprised by a shower of aphides 

 which fell in these parts. They who were walking 

 the streets at the time found themselves covered with 

 these insects, which settled also on the trees and gar- 

 dens, and blackened all the vegetables where they 

 alighted. These animals no doubt were then in a 

 state of emigration and shifting their quarters, and 

 might perhaps have come from the great hop-plan- 

 tations of Kent or Sussex, the wind being that day 

 at north. They were observed at the same time at 

 Farnham and all along the vale at Alton." 



Fig. 3355 shows the Eriosoma mali : a, b, the insects 

 magnified ; c, an infected apple-branch. 



Among other suctorial insects are the Bugs, of 

 which one species, the Cimex lectularius, which is 

 wingless, is one of the nuisances of the bed-room. 

 Linnaeus supposes it to have been originally im- 

 ported from America. The Plant-bugs are all fur- 

 nished with wings and membranous wing-cases. 

 Fig. 3356 shows the haustellum of the Cimex ni- 

 gricornis. b, a view of the under side of the head, 

 exhibiting the sucker in its shtath, directed back- 

 wards. The sheath is composed of four pieces, 

 which Savigny regards as an under lip much enlarged. 

 The edges bend downwards and form a canal for 

 receiving four bristles which he supposes to corre- 

 spond with the two mandibles, and two lower jaws. 

 a, shows the sheathed upper lip, and the four bris- 

 tles placed together, and drawn out of their sheath ; 

 c, the four bristles viewed separated from each other. 



Fig. 3357 represents the'sucker, magnified, of a 

 water-bug (Nepa neptunia) : a, the sucker in its 

 sheath ; b, the several parts developed so as to 

 exhibit them separately ; c, the sucker unsheathed. 



Fig. 3358, the sucker of the Flea(Pulex irritans). 

 The sucker of the flea is complex, and adapted for 

 drawing blood. On each side of a slender bristle- 

 like tongue is placed a sharp razor, the blade work- 

 ing on a sort of handle. The sheath to these 

 weapons represents the mandibles, the blades being- 

 the maxillae ; two long palpi are present, and there 

 are a pair of triangular plates, perhaps labial palpi. 

 a, the parts forming the sucker magnified ; b, the 

 same, under side ; e, upper side. 



Annoying as the flea may be, it is harmless, com- 

 pared to an allied species, the Chigoe of the West 

 Indies, Pulex penetrans. Fig. 33.59. This minute flea 

 penetrates the .skin, and almost without being felt 

 insinuates itself generally under the nails of the toes 

 or beneath the skin and flesh ; there it enlarges to 

 the size of a pea, cau.-iing a most disagreeble itch- 

 ing. In process of time, a small pustule appears, 

 tilfed with multitudes of its eggs; and from this, 

 when it breaks, are dispersed thousands of young, 

 which in course of time create ulcerations, resulting 

 in most calamitous, and sometimes even fatal, con- 

 sequences. It is usual, when the presence of a 

 chigoe is suspected by the attendant itching and 

 redness, to have the parasite extracted. This is 

 done by means of a shaip-pointed needle and very 

 cautiously, so as to enlarge the wound, and at the 

 same time prevent the chigoe from being crushed 

 in it. Walton states that a Capuchin friar, in order 

 to study the history of the chigoe, permitted a colony 

 to establish themselves in his ieet ; but before he 

 could accomplish his object his foot mortified and 

 had to be amputated. 



Among other suctorial insects we may mention 

 the fly, the Tabanus, the Gnat, the Mosquito, and 

 other Culicidae. 



