SENSES OF BEES. 307 



this to be erroneous, and that it should rather be 

 regarded as affording presumptive evidence of 

 mistaken judgement. Instinct would direct the 

 creature to deposit its eggs where the larvae when 

 hatched would be furnished with the means of 

 subsistence, instead of thus exposing them to 

 perish. At all events it affords tolerably good 

 evidence of the existence of an organ of smell in 

 the insect. 



The sense of TOUCH in bees, that is their active 

 or exploring touch, seems to be very acute. To the 

 nicety of this sense has been attributed their power 

 of commencing and carrying on their works amid 

 the darkness of the hives. The recognition of their 

 queen evinces the existence of some such sense ; 

 for the experiments related at page 292, indicate 

 that her presence is not ascertained either by the 

 organs of sight, hearing, or smell. 



The ANTENNAE have generally been considered 

 as their organs of touch ; and indeed, in popular 

 language, they are usually called Feelers or horns ; 

 they have likewise assigned to them the office of 

 wiping and cleaning the eyes. The antennae, how- 

 ever, are not regarded as feelers by our leading 

 entomologists : at present their uses are not clearly 

 denned. Some have regarded them as organs of 

 smell ; others as organs of hearing ; a third party 

 have conceived that they perform some function 

 of which man has no definite idea, supplying the 



