24.0 MEANS OF DEFENCE OF INSECTS. 
escape from danger, would here be premature, since they 
will be fully considered in a subsequent letter. I shall 
therefore only mention the zigzag flight of butterflies and 
the traverse sailing of humble-bees, which certainly render 
it more difficult for the birds to catch them while on the 
wing. 
Noises are another mean of defence to which insects 
have occasional recourse. Ihave heard the lunar dung- 
beetle (Copris lunaris, F.) when disturbed utter a-shrill 
sound. Dynastes Oromedon, another of the lameilicorn in- 
sects, was observed by Dr. Arnold to make, when alarm- 
ed, a kind of creaking noise, which it produced by rub- 
bing its abdomen against its elytra. A third of the same 
tribe, Tox sabulosus, F., emits a small sibilant or chirp- 
ing noise, as I once observed when I found several feed- 
ing in aram’s horn. The “drowsy hum” of beetles, hum- 
ble-bees, and other insects, in their flight, may tend to 
preserve them from some of their aérial assailants. And 
the angry chidings of the inhabitants of the hive, which 
are very distinguishable from their ordinary sounds, may 
be regarded as warning voices to those from whom they 
apprehend evil or anattack. I have before observed that 
the death’s-head hawk-moth (Sphinx Atropos, L.), when 
menaced by the stings of ten thousand bees enraged at 
her depredations upon their property, possesses the secret 
to disarm them of their fury?.. This insect, when in fear 
or danger, is known to produce a sharp, shvill, mournful 
cry, which with the superstitious has added to the alarm 
produced by the symbol of death which signalizes its 
thorax>. This cry, there is reason to believe, affects and 
2 Vor. I. 4th Ed. p. 163. > Thid. 34. 
