1877.] Experiments on the Sense- Organs of Insects. 419 
stump of the antennz no movement was made by the bee, but as 
soon as the fluid had spread and moistened the mouth-parts it un- 
bent its maxillz and vigorously lapped it up, the tongue (lingua) 
playing back and forth between the maxillz as the latter spread 
open a little., During this operation I held the bee between my 
fingers ; it did not sting me, but soon thrust the sting partly into 
the skin of my finger, showing that the power of stinging had 
partially returned. 
This experiment seems to show that the sense of hearing may 
reside in the antenne of the honey bee, while that of smell has 
its seat in the palpi (and perhaps the tongue) alone. It would 
also seem as if the antennal nerves were so continuous with the 
supracesophageal ganglia that they are as it were part of the 
brain, their removal at a little distance from their origin produc- 
ing such a shock to the ganglionic nervous system that the insect 
acts somewhat like a bird on being deprived of the cerebral 
hemispheres, while the special senses in the organs left untouched 
are not affected. The bee was more profoundly impressed by 
the mutilation than other insects, as will be seen by the follow- 
ing experiments, and this is evidence in favor of the view that 
the Hymenoptera and the honey bees especially, stand at the 
head of the insect creation. 
On removing the antenne from a species of Andrena, a com- 
mon wild bee, it immediately fell on its back as if stunned, and 
lay on its side curled up as though hurt, and on letting it fall 
would drop down and lie still on the table, not trying to use its 
wings. It laid several hours on its back and then died. On the 
other hand a smaller species, about half the size of the other, on 
being treated in the same manner did not seem to be much 
affected, as it walked about in its usual lively fashion on the 
table and finally flew out of doors. A small Halictus and Au- 
gochlora bee, after the loss of their antenna, flew with a little 
less directness and freedom, but showed no signs of being hurt. 
A humble bee (Bombus Virginica) and wasp (Vespa maculata) 
on being deantennized acted in much the same manner; on 
being thrown up in the air they would repeatedly fly to the win- 
dow, not being. stunned as in the honey bee, though they were 
_ Somewhat affected, occasionally falling over on to their backs and 
Temaining there several minutes. A second wasp of the same 
Species acted in the same manner after the same style of treat- 
ment. On placing dissolved sugar on the stumps of both anten- 
næ, no impression was made upon it, though when put to its 
