FUNCTION OF THE NECTARIES. 
23 
function of these organs. Even now, physiologists are 
not agreed as to the part they play in the economy of 
the insect. 
Bonnet regarded them as external terminations of 
urinary canals ; but more recently they have been 
connected with the respiratory system. 
Charles Morren,^ in his interesting and, in many 
respects, important memoir on the peach Aphis, con- 
siders them to be nothing more than prolonged 
stomata, and he states that a considerable lacing of 
trachese may be seen to start from the points at which 
the cornicles enter the integument. . Further, he 
asserts, that the air replaces the liquid which is ejacu- 
lated from these tubes, and that the bubbles so often 
to be seen within their cavities are evidences of this 
regurgitation of air. 
Morren also assigns a second function to the 
Cornicles. He points out, and figures a gland at their 
bases, to which he ascribes the secretion of the 
usually sweet and unctuous liquid, in this country 
known as honey dew,^^ and which he regards as 
the first nourishing fluid provided for the young 
Aphis. 
Morrent puts forth, indeed, the curious idea, that 
there is some similarity between Aphides and Mam- 
mifers, inasmuch as he has repeatedly seen the young 
suck the secretion from the tips of the cornicles of 
their mother. He says : 
J’ai vu plusieurs fois de jeunes pucerons sneer le 
bout de ces cornicules, en y plongeant leur bee. 
Cela est arrive chaque fois que je fasais accoucher 
des femelles dans des bocaux, sans aucune feuille de 
pecher qui pouroit servir de nourriture aux jeunes et a 
la mere.” 
The belief that the above-mentioned globules within 
the cornicles are composed of air appears also to be 
* Prof. Clias. Morren, “Puceron dn Pecher,” ‘Ann. des Sciences 
Nat.,’ 1836. 
t Idem, page 94. 
