Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-03-08

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FEBnuAar %, 1851. A. P. BUTLER.
SMITHSONIAN LECTURES.
At the opening Of the lecture Monday night DR.. GoAD
Br fulfilled his promise Of introducing Of the ustra-
tons made Of the previous Friday evenings for the
advantage Of those persons who prevented from being
through the ncemency Of the weather He demon
the respiratory organs of the caterpillar and gave
brief account Of the functions Of respiration This
ceeded by an exposition Of the brain and system, in
connection with which subject he explained the ansposion
Of some of the organs Of insects compared with other ami
mails For example In insects the heart is removed to the
back whilst that portion Of the system which
responds the spinal cord of the higher animals placed
along the venra surface Of the body, the intention being
give superior protection to this important In the
the brain, the of special sense were
pointed and explained Thus, the optic lobes for the
supply the compound eyes, the optic nerves OF
the simple eyes, or eyes single vision, which insects
possess and the anennea nerves. all arise from the superior
portion of the BRAIN whilst the supplying the muscles
Of the jaws the upper and lower lip come from the inferior
portion Of the divided brain. "
Amongst the organs Of special sense, the visual organs
claim precedence, from their superior development The
large hemspherica masses either side Of the head Of an
insect and forming portion Of the skeleton contain the
transparent of great and variable number Of eyes,
distinct but perfect in all their parts The number OF these
eyes in the houseay is 4oo0 dagon-fy 1854
butterfly 1885, &c. small beetle (aordaa) is compu-
ted to possess less than eyes, each in itself perfect
but clustered together and forming compound mass The
ewes Of insects being fixed and mmovabe this particular
the visual organ necessary to enable them
to obtain their food and guard themselves from their
&c hoaJ fhoc
by means Of eyes that look in all directions the
above below ia front, behind and lateray each eeye
seeing portion of the general picture, and transmitting by
its nerve the impression Of what has the optic nerve
which is the general recipient of plurality Of impressions
received at the time and, orderly in their arrangement
convey the brain detached portions Of picture but
impression Of perfect whole. This was illustrated BY
the transparent Of beetle, (prionus agimanus
in which the numerous facets clearly distingusbable.
The superficial observer may easily satisfy himself that
possess perception Of sounds and the faculty
only be referred to acoustic organ in state Of
development The great difficulty has, however, hitherto
been demonstrate satisfactorily the Of insect As
important organs Of special they must necessarily de-
rive their from the superior portion Of the brain and
far all analogy goes the organs of hearing should be
connected with the head The bones of the skull in insects
necessarily very Dense to give protection to the brain and
afford the required attachment for the powerful muscles Of the
Jaws The acoustic apparatus in all animals even up to
man. has superior protection, and is defended and concealed
far beyond other organs Moreover the entire apparatus,
although extensive, is, in man, minute. The demon
sra,ion them Of the auditory apparatus any anm, be-
with difficulties, which necessarily be enhanced by
the mnuteness Of the skull in insect One insect how
ever he American cockroach from the superior deicacy Of
its skeleton offers to view acoustic organ in an ee-
mertay condition of development At the bases Of the
long ilorm many jeined antennB may be circular
bone Of increased substance Upon this bone is stretched
membrane Of greater decacy and transparency than other
portion Of the skull From the Of this membrane the
antenna arises AT the basis of the anenna two bones
distinctly passing from towards the bony rng and
Of them connected it, and both in opposition with the
membrane.
The membrane the analogue Of the tympanum drum
OF the the higher animals and the little bones connected
with it, and the anenna represent two of the small bones Of
the Of The muscles with which they provided
tighten relax the ympanu, while the antennesl nerves,
which arise from the superior portion Of the BRAIN give Of
delicate pexus Of which distributed upon the inner
surface of the drum The lecturer declined the
antenna of insects be ears but he had doubt that they
had direct and important connexon with the auditory unc-
ton He believed them be susceptible Of delicate viba-
tons of the atmosphere and capable Of transmitting them
opinion he cited the lobster in which animal the Of
hearing has progressed stage in the progress Of develop
ment addition to tympanum at the base Of the large
anteunn they have vesbule. The skull Of the cockoach
gave a clear view of the structures described
The organ of smell Is not at present known Taste
sides the tongue aud feeling in the palp formerly de
scbed in connexon with the mouth, and to which was
| ascribed the function Of bands.
In considering the organs Of ocomoon, Dr. Goadby pre-
sented an example of and false leg Of caterpillar
ting that this proves exception to tue rule that
insect possesses always three pairs Of legs and
difference between these organs described To these
succeeded leg formed for swimming from aquatic
nooneata gnca Man, Notwithstanding bis boosted and
really remarkable abilities, initiate the proceedings
many insignificant insects for has yet succeeded in
running up smooth perpendicular wall across ceiling, and
descending head foremost down the opposite wall by the
palm, of bis hands and the soes Of his feet ant yet the little
house fly does constantly. For this purpose speeia
structure is necessary and the majority Of insects
perform this feat than The soes Of the fly
foot were then shown and described and their peculiar
ton stated TO be in connection with gummy secretion at the
bases Of the hairs which the solos, and not alone by
mospherc pressure, formerly believed Examples
fee, iomed for digging selected from the pupe Of the
teen years locust caa sepembeeina) and the male cricket
concluded the lecture Of the evening.
The subject Of Dr. GoADBIs concluding lecture Friday
evening last on the Structure and DereDaspf of tn