CF INSECTS IN GENERAI. 35 J 



long beeri a received opinion, tnar hearing is denied to 

 infedt^ ; or at lead, that the exiltenceof this fenfe is very 

 equivocal. Many of them, however, are endowed with 

 the power of uttering founds ; as the bee, the fly, the 

 gnat, and the beetle. The fphinx atropos fqueaks when 

 hurt, nearly as loud as a moufe ; it has even the power 

 of uttering a plaintive note, in certain circumftances, 

 ■ which excites commiferation. In general, the power of 

 uttering founds agreeable to the feelings and neceffities of 

 animals, is conferred on them for the purpofe of com- 

 ir.unicating thefe feelings to the reft of their kind. We 

 have already feen, that fuch of the finny tribes as wer6 

 vocal, were alfo endowed with organs for the reception 

 of founds ; the fame, probably, is the cafe with the infeft 

 tribe. For what purpofe is the individual poffeffed of 

 the power of expreffing its pleafures or its pain, if all 

 knowledge of found is denied to its tribe ? Were the fenfe 

 of hearing withheld from the animals of the fame clafsj 

 it muft crave aflill;ance in vain ; for it mufl fpeak a lan- 

 guage dellined to be unintelligible to every being in na»!- 

 ture *i 



Experience daily convinces us of the "truth of the fore^ 

 going pofitions. If a bee or wafp be attacked near the 

 hive, the confequence of this aflault commonly is, that 

 the animal exprelTes its pain or indignation in a tone dif- 

 ferent from its ordinary noife j the complaint is immedi- 

 ately underftood by the hive within, when the inhabit- 

 ants hurry out to revenge the infult, in fuch numbers 

 that the otfending party feldom comes oflf with impunity. 

 The fame evidence of hearing is continually afforded bjr 

 the fpider : Often his webs are of fuch an enormous; 

 T t 2, length, 



; Tide Bartut's Genera Infe^orumj p. 41 



