34 HUMBLE CREATURES. 



ting off toth these organs produces a very striking 

 derangement of her proceedings. She seems in a 

 species of delirium, and deprived of all her instincts ; 

 everything is done at random; yet the respect and 

 homage of the workers towards her, though they are 

 received by her with indifference, continue londi 

 minished. If another in the same condition he put 

 in the hive, the bees do not appear to discover the 

 difference, and treat them both alike ; but if a perfect 

 one be introduced, even though fertile, they seize her, 

 keep her in confinement, and treat her very unhand- 

 somely. One may conjecture from this circumstance 

 that it is by those wonderful organs, the antennae, 

 that the bees know their own queen." 



Although we are not in a position to state decidedly 

 what is the precise function of the antennae, we may 

 mention that the opinion, derived chiefly from their 

 anatomical structure, is gaining ground, that they are 

 organs of hearing as well as touch, and the mode of 

 their application leads to the same belief. The ques- 

 tion is however, as before stated, still undecided, 

 and it presents a most interesting field for research, 

 not only to those who employ the microscope in the 

 investigation of the anatomy of insects, but also to 

 naturalists who observe their habits, and in either 

 case the careful student can hardly fail to throw addi- 

 tional light upon the inquiry*. 



* There is do doubt whatever that the Bee possesses the 

 senses of touch, hearing, and smell, or functions corresponding 

 therewith ; the difficulty is to assign to them a locality. 



