AUGUST 199 



impression that it is something of the nature of Lord 

 Melbourne's favourite exclamation — prefaced too, like his, 

 with an exceedingly forcible monosyllable: 'Damn it! 

 why can't ye leave me alone ? ' 



I regret very much that, before releasing the subject 

 of this long prose, I did not test the insect in respect of 

 another property which it is said to share with some 

 other hawk-moths — namely, that of emitting an agreeable 

 perfume like musk or jasmine. This, most probably, 

 is intended for the delectation or attraction of the 

 opposite sex ; just as it is well known men burn tobacco 

 only because women like the smell. 



Since jotting down the above speculation upon minute 

 sound vibrations I have become possessed of a little 

 instrument^ the Galton whistle, devised for testing the 

 power of perceiving very high notes. A movable index, 

 showing in millimetres the number of sound vibrations 

 per second, indicates every alteration in the height of 

 the note. Personally, I prove insensible to anything 

 above 12,000 vibrations per second, but I found two 

 young ladies who could receive the impression of a note 

 caused by 40,000 vibrations. What a lot some people 

 miss, and yet never miss ! 



