301 



LETTER XXIY. 

 ON THE NOISES PRODUCED BY INSECTS. 



That insects, though they fill the air with a variety of sounds, 

 have no voice, may seem to you a paradox, and you may be tempted 

 to exclaim with the Roman naturalist, What, amidst this in- 

 cessant diurnal hum of bees ; this evening boom of beetles ; 

 this nocturnal buz of gnats ; this merry chirp of crickets and 

 grasshoppers ; this deafening drum of Cicadas, have insects no 

 voice ! If by voice we understand sounds produced by the 

 air expelled from the lungs, which, passing through the la- 

 rynx, is modified by the tongue, and emitted from the mouth, 

 — it is even so. For no insect, like the larger animals, uses 

 its mouth for utterance of any kind : in this respect they are 

 all perfectly mute ; and though incessantly noisy, are ever- 

 lastingly silent. Of this fact the Stagyrite was not ignorant, 

 since, denying them a voice, he attributes the sounds emitted 

 by insects to another cause. But if we feel disposed to give 

 a larger extent to this word ; if we are of opinion that all 

 sounds, however produced, by means of which animals deter- 

 mine those of their own species to certain actions, merit the 

 name of voice ; then I will grant that insects have a voice. 

 But, decide this question as we will, we all know that by 

 some means or other, at certain seasons and on various oc- 

 casions, these little creatures make a great din in the world. 

 I must therefore now bespeak your attention to this depart- 

 ment of their history. 



In discussing this subject, I shall consider the noises in- 

 sects emit — during their motions — when they are feeding, 

 or otherwise employed — when they are calling or command- 

 ing — or when they are under the influence of the passions ; 

 of fear, of anger, of sorrow, joy, or love. 



The only kind of locomotion during which these animals 

 produce sounds is flying : for though the hill-ants {Formica 



