80 OF THE SENSES OF 



Schneider, nearly two centuries ago.* Reasoning- 

 from analogy, we would say that insects enjoy this 

 sense by the same process. Hence, Baster, Cuvier, 

 Dumeril, and Lehmann, are of opinion, that insects 

 perceive odours by means of their breathing holes. 



Blainville says the antennae are the organs of 

 smell. He is of opinion that the modification of the 

 skin with which they are invested, is in general 

 olfactory only in a small degree ; this power appear- 

 ing to be more acute in the thickest parts of the 

 organs, \vhere it is more soft and tender. A difficulty 

 to the establishment of this theory is, that spiders 

 have no antenna, consequently do not possess this 

 sense, if his doctrine were true. Latreille entertains 

 the same opinion ; " for," says he, " the exercise of 

 smell consists only of the action of the air impregnated 

 with odoriferous particles on the nervous, or olfactory 

 membrane, which transmits the sensation. If insects 

 are really endowed with an organ furnished with 

 similar nerves, and with which air, charged with 

 odoriferous particles, comes in contact, such an organ 

 may be regarded as that of smell. Should, therefore, 

 the antennas present a tissue of many nerves, what 

 inconvenience can take place from supposing this 

 tissue the medium of transmitting odours ? Would 

 not this hypothesis, on the contrary, be more simple 

 and more consonant to anatomical principles, than 

 that which fixes the seat of smell at the entrance of 

 the stigmata ?" 



* De Sensu ac Organo Odoratus. Witteb. 1655. 



