darker in color.

Now, do look again at this cockroach I have taken such pains to catch
for you and put into the tumbler.

I think even May will own that it has a cunning little head.

See it turn its head around to look at us.

After all, the cockroach is a knowing little fellow.

This one is hungry; it has had nothing to eat for some time. We will
give it this crumb of cake.

Be careful, or it will get away; it can run very fast, and it is very
quick, you see, in all its motions.

Ah, it is examining the crumb with the tips of its long antennae.

See how daintily it touches the crumb.

It can smell with its antennae, you know.

Now it has decided the cake is good to eat.

See how eager it is!

[Illustration]

It almost stands on its head to reach just the part it wants.

John says he does not understand how insects smell with their antennae.

I can tell you a little about it, John.

If you look at one of the cockroach's antennae under the magnifying
glass, you will see it is made up of a good many short pieces, or
segments, as we call them, fastened together end to end.

Yes, Mollie, that is why it can move about so easily. It can curl up
like a whiplash, you see.

Next the head is a round segment that fits into a socket.

[Illustration]

Double up your right fist and fit it into the half-closed palm of your
left hand.

There! That is like the ball-and-socket joint.

You see you can move your fist around in all directions.

The insect can move its antennae in all directions because they are
fastened to its head by ball-and-socket joints.

On the segments of the antennae, particularly towards the tip, are little
dots.

You cannot see the dots without the help of a strong microscope, but
they are there.

These little dots are sensitive spots. There is a nerve coming from the
insect's brain to each dot.

Some of the dots are sensitive to odors, just as the nerves of our nose
are sensitive to odors.

May thinks it is very funny that the insects smell with antennae instead
of with noses.

The insects, no doubt, would think it very funny for us to smell with,
noses instead of with antennae, if they thought about it at all.

The little dots on the antennae are extremely sensitive to smells. They
are often much more sensitive than our noses.

Put a bit of food at some distance from a hungry cockroach, and it will
not be long before a pair of long, sensitive feelers will come waving to