48 THE ENTOMOLOGIST. 



argument. As, however, the evidence of so great an authority as 

 Sir J. Lubbock has been adduced to demolish this *' obvious " 

 conclusion, I cannot refrain from making a further reference to 

 it. Many insects, such as bees, ants, &c., possess a definite and 

 fixed abode, from which they are in the habit of wandering, 

 sometimes for considerable distances, in search of food. Now, if 

 these insects have no sense of direction whatever, how can they 

 find their way back as accurately as they do ? To fall back on 

 the old resource and explain it by instinct is merely a plausible 

 way of saying, " I don't know." I cannot see that there is any 

 inherent impossibility for insects to possess an additional sense. 

 For instance, there is a vast gap between the number of vibra- 

 tions in the quickest sound-wave and that of the slowest light- 

 wave ; and yet we are quite unable to appreciate or perceive the 

 intermediate vibrations. It is, however, quite possible that such 

 differently constituted creatures as insects might be able to do 

 so, and thus possess a sense that man has not. Indeed, Sir J. 

 Lubbock has shown that ants are sensitive to the ultra violet rays 

 of light, and can probably see them. But without going so far 

 afield, I think many insects have demonstrable senses for which 

 we have no exact parallel. I need only adduce one instance. It 

 is well known that the vast majority of termites have no eyes ; 

 and yet any one who has observed them will have noticed how 

 readily they can perceive light, for which they show a strong 

 dislike. What then is the name of the sense which enables them 

 to do this ? It cannot be sight, for they are blind. Neither can 

 it be any of the other four senses, as we understand them, for to 

 our ideas light has no smell or taste, and is inaudible and 

 intangible. I must therefore leave the solution of the problem 

 to a wiser head than mine. 



Lower Umfuli Eiver, Mashunaland. 

 October, 1895. 



ENTOMOLOGY IN OCTOBER. 

 By C. W. Dale, F.E.S. 



Notwithstanding the chilly winds and rains and occasional 

 frosts which herald the approach of winter, October is, to my 

 mind, after May and June, the best Entomological month of the 

 year. But it is by real hard work that good insects are to be 

 obtained ; it is certainly no light task beatmg a lot of thatch and 

 ivy and apple trees, and pullmg moss and rubbish to pieces. It 

 is certainly the best month in the year for three genera.— Depres- 

 saria, Platypeza, and Aleyrodes. Besides the beautiful species of 

 the hybernating genus Vanessa, the last broods of the following 

 butterflies appear : Pieris rapes, Chrysophanus phloeas, Pararge 

 egeria, and P, megcera. To prevent this paper from being too 

 ong, I will mention only those species taken by myself at Glan- 



