INSECTS IN GENERAL. 41 



entomologists generally have called a sucker. This is a sort 

 of proboscis not widened at its free extremity, and containing 

 bristles, which are vulnerary insti'uraents used by the insect, 

 to pierce the skin of organized beings, on whose fluids it 

 subsists. 



The appendages to the head of almost all insects called the 

 antennae, ai'e extremely curious and very various in their 

 structure in the different orders and genera, and even in the 

 different sexes of the same species. Their use or office may 

 be said to be still unknown to us. 



The word antenna, which in Latin signifies the yard of a 

 ship's mast, was adopted probably from an idea that these 

 organs were useful to insects in flying or directing their 

 flight, a notion long since exploded. Aristotle, with a better 

 analogy calls them xf^a?, or horns, which word has been com- 

 pounded with others, by some of the modern naturalists to 

 form their generic names. 



Insects with reference to their antennae are divided prima- 

 rily into dicerous, or such as have two* antennae, and acerous, 

 or such as have none. 



With regard to their situation, the antenna? are generally 

 inserted above the eyes in the upper surface of the head, 

 but sometimes they are between the eyes, in the canthus of 

 the eyes, or under the eyes, and sometimes they are on the 

 rostrum. They are also more or less remote from each other 

 at the base, and are sometimes united there. They are also 

 various as to length, some being larger than the whole insect, 

 and others shorter even than the head. Some are perfectly 

 straight, and others pliant, but without an angle, while others 

 have an angle or elbow more or less acute ; some curve out- 



* Some of the species of the genus otiocenis, seem to have four antennae, 

 and some six ; but Kirby and Spence consider the supernumaries as mere 

 appendages, and not as true antennae. 



