132 CRY OF THE DEATHS-HEAD. 



it with an accordant tone of evil augury. However fanciful 

 its prophecy of ill to others, the lament of this unusually com- 

 plaining creature would seem to be a real expression of being- 

 ill at ease itself, since, according to Reaumur, when " shut up 

 in a box, it cries ; when caught, it cries ; and when held be- 

 tween the fingers, it never ceases crying." 



Naturalists have been sorely puzzled and widely at variance 

 as to the organs producing this frequently-employed voice. 

 One supposes it to proceed from the body; another thinks it 

 is produced by friction of the chest upon the abdomen, the 

 wings having nothing to do therewith; a third, tout, au con- 

 traire, supposes he has discovered the organs of sound in a 

 pair of scales at the wing's base, played upon by the action of 

 the pinions themselves.* lleaumur opined that the cry pro- 

 m-drd from the insect's head, its immediate source being the 

 friction of the palpi against the tongue. Passerini, Durneril, 

 and Duponchel have traced the origin of the sound to the 

 interior of the insect's head ; from which, according to the 

 Mutement of the latter, the sound continues to proceed on 

 separation of the body. 



\ rt later than all the above varied opinions, and only accor- 

 dant with one, comes that of Mr. Denny, according to which, 

 the true organs, producing the death's-hcad's melancholy 

 .-train, arc two large moveable horny scales, at the bases of 

 the upper wings, fixed on the thorax, and covering each a 



K.DeJohet. 



