332 OF INSECTS n; generai. 



length, that he cannot fee from the one end of them to 

 the other ; often too, in watching for his prey, he con- 

 ceals himfelf in fome adjoining crevice, where he cannot 

 fee thofe animals that are enfnared in his toils. The fly, 

 however, no fuoner finds itfelf entangled, than it makes 

 a buzzing noife, in order to efcape ; this noife is inftant- 

 ly heard and underftood by the fpider, who fallies forth 

 from his concealment, and riots in the fpoil, with all the 

 cagernefs and ferocity which diftinguifhes the moll rapa- 

 cious animals *. 



If the fenfe of hearing has with difficulty been allowed 

 to infe^ls, naturalifts have had ftill more in afcertaining 

 the place or organ where that fenfe is fituated. The mod 

 accurate obfervers of nature have fuppofed it to be plac- 

 ed in the antenna. ; Thefe, from their fituation in the 

 head, from their inward ftrudlure, and their capacity of 

 motion, have been fuppofed moft favourable for the feat 

 of fuch organs. Befides, it is difficult to affign any other 

 ufe for thefe inflruments, which are common to almoft 

 the whole of this clafs of beings. From their extreme 

 fenfibllity, they feem neither fitted for the purpofes of 

 attack nor defence : While, then, it is certain that pro- 

 vidence hath made nothing in vain, but hath framed 

 every limb of the fmalkfl animal for ufe, as well as or- 

 nament, it feems to follow, that the antennae of infedls 

 are the appointed organs of hearing, fince there is appa- 

 rently no other purpofe in the economy of thefe animals 

 tvhich they feem fitted to ferve. 



The antennps of all infe£ls are compofed of joints, 

 varying in form, fize, and number. Among thofe which 

 are confined to live mollly under water, as the gyrinui^ 



they 



* Genera Infc-florum, iiti fupra^ 



