MEANS OF DEFENCE OF INSECTS. 241 
disarms the bees, so as to enable her to proceed in her 
spoliations with impunity*. One of these insects being 
once brought to a learned divine, who was also an ento- 
mologist, when he was unwell, he was so much moved by 
its plaintive noise, that, instead of devoting it to destruc- 
tion, he gave the animal its life and liberty. I might say 
more upon this subject of defensive noises: but I shall re- 
serve what I have further to communicate, to a letter 
which I purpose devoting to the sounds produced or emit- 
ted by insects. 
You are acquainted with the singular property of the 
skunk (Viverra putorius, L.), which repels its assailants 
by the fetid vapour that it explodes; but perhaps are not 
aware that the Creator has endowed many insects with 
the same property and for the same purpose—some of 
which exhale powerful or disagreeable odours at all times, 
and from the general surface of their body; while they 
issue from others only through particular organs, and 
when they are attacked. 
Of the former description of defensive scents there are 
numerous examples in almost every order; for, next to 
plants and vegetable substances, insects, of any part of 
the creation, afford the greatest diversity of odours. In 
the Coleoptera order a very common beetle, the whirlwig 
(Gyrinus Natator, L.), will infect your finger for a long 
time with a disagreeable rancid smell; while two other 
species, G. minutus and villosus, are scentless.— Those un- 
2 Huber appears to be of this opinion; he does not, however, lay 
great stress uponit. Yet there seems no other way of accounting for 
the impunity with which this animal commits its depredations. Huber, 
ii, 299— 
VOL, II. R 
