Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1883-08-10

1 AR' RNNHt" ~ AAHf'tra
/
A writer In the New Orleans Tmes-
Democrat on the senses of insects says
there Is good reason 10 believe that they
possess all the ordinary senses Of man.
Lime and Others OF the old school, how
ever, thought them deprived Of hearing;
but numerous observations prove the
contrary. That they hear even In their
larya state Is eyi'leat from facts stated
not only by Psychologists but by numer-
Gus observations made BY myself. |
found once that the sound Of my voice
evidently affected some oaierpillars.
which ] attribute 10 the dolicacy of their
sense of touch NJ another time, when
some caterpillars Of different species
were moving swiftly, rang a small
bell, upon which they Instantly stopped
and moved the interior part Of their
bodies very brisky. That they possess
this faculty In their Image state Is con-
imed still more strongly by facts.
once was observing the motions of
snoul-beeilo (curculio) whose larym de-
yourcd the roots q our palmetto; upon
my making slight but distinct noise.
rs antenne started. Ircpeated the cf- |
feet. A ground-beetle Of considerable |
size, hunting some caterpillars from the |
trunk Of u liye-oak tree in the old City |
Park, answered the sound In the same
manner repeatedly. Flies, have OBJ
served, at brisk and distinct sounds,
move all their legs, and spiders will /
quit their prey and retire 10 their
hiding-places. Insects that live In |
society give notice Of intended move
ments, or assemble their citizens for |
emigration BY certain hum. But the
most satisfactory proof of hearing Of
these animals Is TO be had from the
grasshoppers, crlckets, ETC.. and cicadas,
whose males are vocal kept and fed
several katydids in cabinet, which
were very merry, and continued sing
ing all the time but a rap at the door
would stop them instantly. BY practice
! learned TO initiate their chirping; when
] did this at the door at first few
would answer me in a low note, and
then the whole party would take up the
tune and sing with all their might. |
once shut up male in the garden, and
gave the female her liberty; but as soon as
she heard the male chirp She low TO him
Immediately. The antenn@ of insects
are analogous to ears in vertebrates.
Their number corresponds; they also
stand out from the head; anG what has
weighed most with me, unless they are
allowed as such no other organ can
have any pretension to be considered as
presenting the ear II we reflect that
in every other part and organ the head
of insects has nm analogy to that of
mammalia, we must regard it as inn
probable that these prominent organs
should not also have their representa-
tive. Admitting, then, that they are
the analogues of ears, it will follow
their primary function is related to
hearing.
But besides receiving notices from
the atmosphere Of sound, and of the
approach or proximity of other insects,
etc, the antennw are probably the or
gans by which insects can discover al
terations in its state, ar fAretel by
certain prognostics when a change of ,
weather IL approaching. Bees possess
this faculty to an admirable degree
When engaged in their daily labors. if |
a shower is approaching, though we
can discern no signs OF it, they foresee ]
it and return suddenly to their hives. \
ii they wander far from home and do }
not return until late in the evening, it '
is prognostic to be depended upon |
the following day will be fine; but if |
they remain near their habitations. and $
are seen frequently going and return /
ing, although no other indication Of c
wet should be discoverable, clouds will 7
soon arise and rain come on. Ants also a
are observed to be excellently gifted in I
this respect; though they daily bring c
out their Larvae to sun them, they are a
never oyertaken by sudden showers. I
Previously TO rain, as YOU well know, Q
insects seek the house; a
then the stomoXys calcitrans, leaving h
more ignoble prey, attack us in our Il
apartments and interrupt our studies L
md meditations. h
The insects of prey also foresee the d
approach of wet weather end the ac-
cess Of flies, etc, to places of shelter. ?
Then the spiders issue from their hrk- n
ng- places, and the ground-beetle or !
,arabi in the evening run about our cot a
ages. n
Passive antenn@, which are usually
with a terminal or lateral n
)ristal, and plumose and pertinatcd b