INSECTS : THEIR MOUTHS. 155 



bodies, furnished at the free end with three or more 

 marginal teeth, and a larger pointed body in the centre. 

 There are seventy-four of these in each maxilla, or half 

 the proboscis. Mr. Newport regards them as probably 

 organs of taste. There are also some curious appendages 

 arranged along the inner anterior margin of each maxilla, 

 in the form of minute hooks, which, when the proboscis is 

 extended, serve to unite the two halves together, by the 

 points of the hooks in one half being inserted into little 

 depressions between the teeth of the opposite side ; 

 sometimes these are furnished with a tooth below their 

 tips. 



With all deference to so respectable an authority, I 

 cannot help seeing that such is not the structure of the 

 antlia before us. It is evident to me that each half tube 

 is composed of a membrane stretched upon stiff horny 

 semi-rings, doubtless composed of chitine, and certainly 

 not muscular. By bringing the outline of the rounded 

 exterior into focus, we see that these rings form sharp 

 ridges ; and by tracing them onwards to the attenuated 

 extremity of the organ, we see them gradually give way 

 to transverse lines of interrupted ridgy warts upon the 

 outside of the membrane. The true muscles appear to be 

 indicated by those oblique lines and bands that are seen 

 in the interior, beneath the horny rings. 



This specimen shows very distinctly that the two sides 

 are but semi- tubular, and as one pair of the opposing 

 edges are open at each extremity, and the other pair 

 separate throughout, we are able to discern very clearly 

 the array of hooks, by which the edges are united at the 

 will of the animal. No trace of the curious little pointed 

 barrel-shaped papilla is found here, but I have seen it in 

 other examples. 



It seems highly probable, from the observations of the 

 excellent anatomist just named, that the exhaustion of the 

 nectar of a flower, which is effected with great rapidity 



