OF INSECTS 11^ GENERAL. 333 



they are in general fiiort ; while fuch as roam at large 

 through the air have them long and flender, ns the pha- 

 lenae iclineumons, and others. They are all hollow with- 

 in, and rendered flexible by the joints, which are very 

 vifible in thofe of the crab ; which are the beft examples, 

 becaufe the largefl belonging to this clafs of beings. 

 This hollownefs, it is fuppofed, is intended to receive the 

 found communicated to the extremities of the antennae, 

 by the repercuffion of the air ; and to convey it, by 

 means of the joints, from one piece to another, till it 

 arrives at the brain, in that leflened degree of tone which 

 is fuited to the nature of the particular animal *. Sach 

 is the apparatus deflined for the hearing of infedls ; a 

 fenfe which they probably enjoy in various degrees of 

 perfeftion ; but in none of them does it feem fo acute as 

 in the higher ranks of animated beings. 



But, befides the fenfe of hearing, it feems highly pro- 

 bable that infefls poffefs alfo that of fmell. As many of 

 them live on bodies in a ftate of putrefaction, around 

 which, when expofed, they are feen immediately to col- 

 le£l themfelves, the conclufion fcems obvious, that they 

 are pofllfled of organs fitted to direft them to their food. 

 Thofe which feed on herbs, flowers, or fruits, feem in 

 the fame manner to require fenfes adequate to their pur- 

 fuits. It has therefore been fuppofed, and not without 

 an appearance of probability, that the palpi, or feelers, 

 are the organs of fmell in the infect tribe. Thefe inllru- 

 ments are four, fometimes lix in number ; two of which 

 are evidently defliined to the purpofe of handling their 

 food) and conveying it to the mouth. The others, which 

 are in continual motion, and conftantly applied to thofe 



objefta 



f Genera Infc^orym, ubi fi;pr;i, 



