THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. 109 



The insect is endowed with an exquisite fineness of 

 smell. The slightest odor is perceived by it at very great 

 distances. In the perfumed air exhaling from the thousand 

 plants of a meadow or garden, it distinguishes the one it 

 loves and settles upon it, to tear it in pieces or deposit its 

 offspring on it. 



The flesh-eating insect discerns at very great distances 

 the smell of an animal on which it feeds. If a morsel of 

 meat be totally covered with a black bell-glass, its exha- 

 lations quickly attract the flies to a spot where previously 

 there was not one to be seen. 



The winged creature never makes a mistake ; or if, un- 

 der very unusual circumstances, it should happen to do so, 

 it would be because there was a perfect identity between 

 the odorous emanations. For instance, the putrid exhala- 

 tions from the flowers of the Stapelia and Arum attract 

 some insects just as putrid meat would ; and these, deceived 

 by a false resemblance, deposit upon the plant their off- 

 spring, which must infallibly die of hunger. 



But where does a sense so delicate reside ? Analogy 

 made Reaumur and De Blamville think it ought to be placed 

 in the antennae, those little mobile horns set on the front of 

 the head, and presenting the greatest diversity of form ; 

 being sometimes lengthened like articulated threads, some- 

 times lamellated, or bulged out in the form of clubs or 

 bladders. The antennae do, indeed, like the nostrils of 



brilliancy, which sparkle like diamonds when the sun lights upon them on the 

 surface of the water, where they pirouette constantly with surprising velocity : 

 hence the name whirlwigs. These insects have four groups of eyes in their heads. 

 Of these two are placed below, and give them notice of what is going on in the 

 depths of the water; the two others are turned toward the sky. 



