24 ANTENNA 



larva devours what remains of its host and 



itself undergoes the same metamorphosis. 



Eventually, instead of the saw-fly emerging, 



the ichneumon pushes through the sealed 



aperture. 



To my mind, scarcely anything in nature 

 surpasses in marvel the manifestations of 

 this class : The curious connection that exists 

 between the fly and the larva of a totally dif- 

 ferent species, the wonderful adaptabihty of 

 the organs and perfect subsconscious percep- 

 tions, are, to say the least, astonishing ; but 

 being merely insects the creatures attract 

 httle attention ; and except to those who 

 study such things their very existence is 

 practically unknown. 



Ichneumons are essentially hunters and 

 detectives of the first order. Their detective 

 work is undoubtedly accomplished by means 

 of the antennae, highly specialized sense organs 

 tuned to respond to etheric vibrations. These 

 delicate organs (antennae) and their modifica- 

 tions, without which the Insect World could 

 have no existence, are no less than " aerials " 

 — ^physical media for the reception of trans- 

 cendental impressions, a linking of the material 

 and intangible. Here we have an instance of 

 nature's " intangible connections," whereby 

 all her parts are associated and sympathetically 



