ON THE FUNCTIONS OF THE ANTENN2. 593 
nor its larva could find its food after the removal of the antennz, 
and that Flies of the genera Sarcophaga, Calliphora, and 
Cynomyia were unable to discover a large piece of rotting flesh 
when the antennz were removed, although they were flying 
in a room in which it was freely exposed. He also states that 
males of Melolontha vulgaris, Saturnia pavonia, and Ocneria 
dispar, seldom found the females of the same species, even 
when confined in the same case with them, after their antennze 
had been removed, and contrasts their behaviour with that of 
entire insects. 
Forel [194] removed the wings of some Bluebottle-flies 
(Calliphora) and placed them near a decaying mole; they 
immediately walked to it and began to lick it and lay their eggs 
upon it. He then took them away and removed their antenne, 
after which, even when placed close to the mole, they did not 
appear to perceive it. Plateau* made experiments on four 
Cockroaches (Periplaneta), from two of which he removed the an- 
tenn, and from the other two the palpi. The insects were under 
observation from June 29 to July 31, in a glass vessel in which 
a card box was placed containing bread moistened with beer. 
Those without the antenne, with a single accidental exception, 
never found the food, whilst the others were observed feeding 
almost every day. Lubbock [276] states that Ants withdraw 
their antennze when stimulated by the odour of musk, and 
Graber himself found that a Beetle (Silpha thoracica) showed 
no perception of asafoetida after the antennze were removed, 
although it responded to stimulation by oil of rosemary. 
Oil of rosemary gives off an irritant vapour, whilst asafoetida 
is a true odour. All the essential oils give rise to taste as well 
as olfactory sensations, and are also direct irritants acting on 
the respiratory tract. Probably the statements made by authors 
as to the persistence of the sense of smell after the removal of 
the antenne are due to their having used essential oils and 
other irritants, like ammonia, sulphurous acid, or vinegar to 
test the olfactory sense, instead of non-irritant odours. 
Hygroscopic Function of the Antenne.—Lehmann [261] and 
* Ann. Soc. Entom. Belgique, tom. xxx., 1886, p- exx. 
Bh 
