Chapter 7 No.7

La Fontaine, fable of the Cigale and the Ant, 3

Locust, Grey, the, 300-16

Larva of, 300

Metamorphosis of, 300-9

Wing, formation of, 309-15

M

Mantis, the Empusa pauperata, 97

Mantis, the Grey, 96

Mantis, the Praying, 68-101

Cannibalism of, 82-5

Courtship, 79-83

Hunter, as, 68-78

Nest of, 86-101

Melolontha fullo, see Pine-chafer

Minotaur, 225

O

Oak Eggar, the, 202-16, 234-7

Experiments as to sense of smell in males, 208-15

Swarming of males during the mating season, 204-15

Odynerus, 150-1, 172

Osmia tricornis, 173, 175

P

Pea, ancestry of the, 258-9

Pea-Weevil, see Weevil

Peacock Moth, the Great, 179-201, 234-7

Appearance of, 179

Experiments as to sense of smell in males, 184-97

Invasion of house by males, 180-1

Swarming of males, 181-3

Peacock Moth, the Lesser, 197-201

Phalangist, the, 225

Philanthus aviporus, 150-178

Cocoon of, 168

Diet of, 150-1

Larv? of, 168

Methods of killing and robbing bees, 151-160

Motives of robbery, 163-78

Nest of, 167

Philanthus coronatus, 178

Philanthus raptor, 178

Pine-chafer, the, 317-23

Appearance of, 320

Cry of, 322-3

Habits of, 321

Medical qualities of, supposed, 318-19

Name, origin of Latin, 317-18

Pliny, on the Pine-chafer, 318-19

S

Saprinid?, victims of arum, 233

Sapromyzon, the, 222

Scarab?us, see Golden Scarab?us

Scent in Insects, see Peacock Moth,

Oak Eggar, Bolboceras Gallicus, arum, putrid

Scolia, 171

Sisyphus, legend of, 139

Sisyphus Beetle, the, 136-49

Burrow of, 143

Larva of, 147-9

Mating of, 142-3

Paternal instinct of 142-6

Pellet of, 142-9

T

Tachytus, 172

Tigno, nest of Mantis, 99-101

Truffle-Beetle, 222

Truffle-Dog, 218-20

W

Weevil, Acorn, see Elephant-Beetle

Weevil, the Lentil, 291

Weevil, the Haricot, 282-94

Habits of, 291-6

Invasion of, 284

Larv?, 297-9

Weevil, the Pea, 258-81, 295

Description of, 261

Enemy, its chief, 280-1

Habits, 261-5

(Deductions to be drawn from), 273-4

Larv? of, 268-71, 275-6

FOOTNOTES:

[1] Whether the Cigale is absolutely deaf or not, it is certain that one Cigale would be able to perceive another's cry. The vibrations of the male Cigale's cry would cause a resonance, a vibration, in the body cavities of other male Cigales, and to a lesser extent in the smaller cavities in the bodies of the females. Other sounds would cause a slight shock, if loud enough, but not a perceptible vibration May not this vibration-felt as in a cathedral we feel the vibrations of the organ-pipes in the bones of the chest and head or on the covers of the hymn-book in our hands-serve to keep the insects together, and enable the females to keep within sight of the males? The sight of an insect is in one sense poor-it consists of a kind of mosaic picture, and for one insect to distinguish another clearly the distance between them must not be very great. Certain gregarious birds and fish whose colouring is protective have a habit of showing their white bellies as they swerve on changing their direction. These signals help to keep the flock together. The white scut of the rabbit and of certain deer is a signal for other deer or rabbits to follow a frightened flock. It is obviously to the advantage of the Cigale to follow a gregarious habit, if only for purposes of propagation, for this would be facilitated by the sexes keeping together, and, deaf or otherwise, the vibrations of its cry would enable it to do so. It would be easy to show a priori that the perception of such vibrations must cause the insect pleasure, as they stimulate a nervous structure attuned to the perception or capable of the production of certain complex vibrations. The discord of the cry is caused by the fact that it consists of a number of vibrations of different pitch. Some would set the contents of the male resonating cavities in vibration; others would affect the less regular cavities in the thorax of the female. We might compare the Cigale's cry to a sheep-bell. That it is felt and not heard explains its loudness and its grating quality. A Cigale with the resonating cavities destroyed would possibly be lost. The experiment is worth trying.-[Trans.]

[2] It is not easy to understand why the Mantis should paralyse the cricket with terror while the latter will immediately escape when threatened by other enemies. As many species of Mantis exactly mimic sticks and leaves when motionless for purposes of defence, is it not possible that they mimic their surroundings for purposes of offence as well? It is easy and natural to say that the Mantis presents a terrifying aspect. It does to us, by association; but how can we say that it represents anything of the sort to the probably hypnotic or automatic consciousness of the cricket? What does it really represent, as seen from below? A twig, terminating in a bud, with two branching twigs growing from it, and a harmless nondescript fly or butterfly perched on the back of it. The combination of a familiar sight and a threatening sound would very plausibly result in cautious immobility. As for its instantaneous assumption of the pose, to move instantaneously is the next best thing to not moving at all. It is less likely to startle than a slow movement. Twigs which have been bent get suddenly released in the natural course of events; they do not move slowly. The instantaneous appearance of a twig where no twig was before may possibly give the victim pause; it may halt out of caution, not out of terror.-[Trans.]

[3] The word "butterfly" is here used, as is the French papillon, as a general term for all Lepidoptera; the insect in question is of course a moth.

[4] Now classified as Lasiocampa quercus.-[Trans.]

[5] Rabasso is the Proven?al name for the truffle; hence a truffle-hunter is known as a rabassier.

[6] Since these lines were written I have found it consuming one of the true tuberace?, the Tuber Requienii, Tul., of the size of a cherry.

[7] The difficulty in conceiving this theory lies in the fact that the waves travel in straight lines. On the other hand, matter in a state of degradation may expel particles highly energised and of enormous velocity. Most antenn? are covered with hairs of inconceivable fineness; others may contain cavities of almost infinite minuteness. Is it not thinkable that they are able to detect, in the gaseous atmosphere, floating particles that are not gaseous? This would not prevent the specialisation of antenn? as mere feelers in some insects and crustaceans. The difficulty of such a supposition lies in the fact of discrimination; but if we did not possess a sense of taste or smell discrimination would seem inconceivable in their case also.-[Trans.]

[8] This classification is now superseded; the Pea and Bean Weevils-Bruchus pisi and Bruchus lenti-are classed as Bruchid?, in the series of Phytophaga. Most of the other weevils are classed as Curculionid?, series Rhyncophora.-[Trans.]

[9] The Christmas number (No?l) of the Annales politiques et littéraires: Les Enfants jugés par leurs pères, 1901.

[10] The American usage is to call acridians grasshoppers and Locustid? locusts. The English usage is to call Locustid? grasshoppers and acridians locusts. The Biblical locust is an acridian.

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