e--when a _worm_ was divided, _all_ the segments writhed in the
same way, and manifested an equal irritability; showing the difference
between creatures of annulated structure, according as they have or
have not a _brain_. A new argument against the brain as the organ of
sensation, was afforded to us by the conduct of many insects of
voracious propensities. We took _locusts_ and _grilli_; we held them
by their wings, and we presented them _with their own legs_ for
dinner; and on our veracity we can affirm, that on no single occasion
did the animal fail to seize his foot; and having demolished the toes
and the tibia, with all the meat upon it, proceed to demolish up to
the very end of the _trochanter_! Nor were they more tender of their
own _antennae_, of which, when we had duly convinced a sceptical
friend, he exclaimed--It _seems impossible_; but _there is no doubting
the fact_!

Insects (who would have thought it?) lose a great deal by insensible
transpiration; from one-tenth to one-quarter of their whole weight, as
we have abundantly ascertained by series of experiments, for which we
have the tables to show. A very interesting fact respecting the
difference of irritability of insects from that of the higher animals,
is this: the temperature of man and the mammalia is in health always
the same, and varies very inconsiderably in disease. _External_ heat
and _external_ cold do not produce a blood, in man, warmer at the
equator than at the pole. This is not the case with insects, whose
mean temperature may be about 80 deg.; but the thermometer inserted into
their bodies may be made to _rise_ or _fall_ by bringing any cold or
warm body in contact with their external surface. You may thus sink
the temperature of an insect to 50 deg. or raise it to 100 deg., and the
insect continue alive. This is a very curious fact, and shows the
inaccuracy of Hunter's description or definition of _life_--"That it
was _that_ which _resisted_ the physical agency of cold and heat."
Insectorum duorum (e genere Cantharidum) in coitu deprehensorum,
extincto a nobis uno, alterum per dies plures, nullo alio quam
organorum sexus vinculo sibi adstrictum, amicae suae corpus sursum et
deorsum trahentem, mirantes vidimus!--_Spanish_ flies, you
exclaim!--as if he had not taken a dose of his own powder; but after
the joke is over, we think this is another _poser_ for the advocates
of insect intelligence. We found that if either of two insects was
destr