NATURALIST'S CABINET. 



Supposed to be capable of smelling. 



this case the animal would suffer great inconve- 

 nience from such an organization, as the organ 

 would often be clogged with dirt, &c. 



The antennae, however, seem little likely to 

 answer the purpose of ears : these instruments of 

 apparently exquisite sensibility must be adapted 

 to very different purposes to which mankind is 

 a stranger. 



It has also appeared dubious if they have the 

 sense of smell, no organ being found in them 

 adapted to that purpose ; and although it was 

 evident they had a perception of agreeable and 

 fetid effluvia, it was thought to be in a manner 

 altogether unknown to us. Mr. Barbut is of 

 opinion, that the organs of smell reside in the 

 palpi, or feelers. Many insects have four, and 

 some six, two of which are in general chaliform, 

 in order to assist the insect in conveying its food 

 to its mouth. It may be likewise observed, that 

 the palpi are in continual motion, the animal 

 thrusting them into every kind of putrid or 

 other matter, as a hog would do his nose, smell- 

 inff and searching after food. Insects which 



o 



apparently do not possess palpi, or spiral tongues. 

 liave undoubtedly some organ concealed within 

 the mouth analogous to them in function and 

 utility, the fleshy proboscis of the fly is thrust 

 into every substance in which the animal expects 

 to find food ; and when it is extended, nearly in. 

 the middle are situated, in our author's opi- 

 nion, two upright palpi, which, no doubt, per* 



