5S Insects without Organs of Hearing. 



hairs (Fig. ii, h) at their bottom, and Leydig the perfor- 

 ated pegs, or tooth-like hairs. We may state then that 

 the antennal organ of smell consists of a free or sunken 

 hair-like body which opens by a pore or canal to a many 

 nucleated ganglionic mass. We thus understand how th» 

 bee finds the nectar, the fly the meat, and the drone and 

 other male insects their mates. Mr, Cheshire speaks of 

 small pits in the antennae which he regards as organs of 

 hearing. He gives, however, no proof of this, and the 

 pits that he describes are not at all ear-like in their struct- 

 ure. Dr. Packard says that there is no proof that any 

 insects except crickets and locusts have real organs of 

 hearing. He here refers to the ear-like oi-gans situated 

 on the sides of the body of these insects. Dr. C. S. 

 Minot, in reviewing Graber's work, says that it has not 

 been demonstrated that even these tympanal organs are 

 auditory, and adds that all attempts to demonstrate the 

 existence of an auditory organ in insects has failed. There 

 is no doubt but that this is a correct statement." That 

 insects are conscious of vibrations which with us cause 

 sound, I think no observing person can doubt. It is proved 

 by the love note of the katy-did, the cicada and the cricket. 

 Every apiarist has noticed the effect of various sounds 

 made by the bees upon their comrades of the hive; and how 

 contagious is the sharp note of anger, the low hum of fear, 

 and the pleasant tone of a new swarm as they commence to 

 enter their new home. Now, whether insects take note of 

 these vibrations, as we recognize pitch, or whether they just 

 distinguish the tremor, I think no one knows. There is 

 some reason to believe that their delicate touch organs may 

 enable them to discriminate between vibrations, even more 

 acutely than can we by the use of our ears. A slight jar 

 will quickly awaken a colony of hybrids, while a loud 

 noise will pass unnoticed. If insects can appreciate with 

 great delicacy the different vibratory conditions of the air 

 by an excessive development of the sense of touch, then 

 undoubtedly the antennse may be great aids. Dr. Clemens 

 thought that insects could only detect atmospheric vibra- 

 tions. So, too, thought Linnasus and Bonnet. From our 

 present knowledge, this view seems the most reasonable 



