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HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



of the jaws. This proved to be their position of loco- 

 motion, boring their straight perforations, &c. I 

 have watched one progressing when passing along 

 its empty burrow. It performs a regular revolving 

 action, varying this, as it appears, to drag itself 

 along by the roughest and most prominent part 

 of the surface of its burrows. In this way I have 

 seen it travel two inches in half a minute. The 

 great power it naturally possesses of gnawing the 

 rough surfaces, and the form of its body, its claws to 

 throw back the accumulating wood-dust, enable it to 

 make rapid progress in its work of destruction. At 

 times regular concentric and ornamental circles may 

 be observed in its burrows. In all the softer wood 

 the larva travels indiscriminately, cutting across its 

 tracks in every conceivable way ; but in oak and the 

 harder kinds of deal there is a constant travelling 

 backwards and forwards between the cellular tissues, 

 leaving the structural parts intact. It has been deter- 

 mined that the insect derives its sustenance from 

 starch obtained in its work of boring. Its labour 

 is apparently constant night and day, as evidenced 

 by the output of dust. 



It rests but seldom ; its maintenance imposes upon 

 it a very heavy burden ; it seems probable its laborious 

 industry is a source of pleasure as well as necessity. 

 On the 28th of August, 1877, I first became ac- 

 quainted with the most perfect specimen of Anobium, 

 or death-watch. It rested on the wall, about eighteen 

 inches from my head as I lay in bed. Its ticking 

 only existed at short intervals, lasted consecutively 

 for three nights and then ceased. The weather was 

 warm, dry, and quiet. I heard another specimen in 

 an adjoining room and was rather pleased to think 

 my house possessed the very thing I had so much 

 wished to hear and see ; consequently, in the follow- 

 ing August I listened for their return. On the 4th of 

 September, 1878, (in my servant's bedroom) I again 

 heard the ticking at intervals, similar to the previous 

 ones ; also one in an old closet. I now commenced 

 to tear off the paper and remove pieces of wood, that 

 I might obtain possession of one, all which efforts so 

 much disturbed them that I seldom heard them again 

 in the same place. I did occasionally hear them in 

 my bedroom, but not for any length of time, and all 

 signs of them ceased in a few days. I had been 

 listening for several weeks for the return of my little 

 friends previous to the 14th of September, 1S79, but 

 on that date I was again gratified with the welcome 

 signal in my bedroom and in other places, and at ten 

 o'clock on that date I was delighted with their 

 activity in my kitchen, where I had never heard them 

 before. I soon discovered the whereabouts of their 

 operations in the rabbeted part of a deal Oxford frame, 

 close under the surface of a paper picture. The 

 beating was the most distinct and continuous I had 

 ever heard, and could be heard eight yards off into 

 an adjoining room. Although there was an eight- 

 day clock going, within two yards of it, the ticks of 



the beetle were very regular between its intervals, 

 but not successive, and at one time the ticks lasted 

 without intermission for one minute. At times the 

 ticks commenced like the faintest possible pulsations, 

 and gradually increased in loudness to a certain pitch, 

 subsiding again as the little fellow became exhausted 

 with its labour. It rested for a time, and commencing 

 again for two hours I listened with real pleasure, 

 till I was overpowered with the desire not only to see 

 it but to capture a specimen, although, at the same 

 time, I felt unwilling to disturb such a pretty perform- 

 ance. However, at one o'clock its labours ceased, 

 and it obtained a respite at my hands. On the 

 following day, the 15th of September, I heard (about 

 nine o'clock) two others in two separate bedrooms. 

 Although fairly active, there was no comparison, 

 between them and the one above mentioned. About 

 half-past ten my little friend in the kitchen com- 

 menced again in the same bold distinct manner, and 

 in exactly the same spot. I felt as though I could 

 place my finger exactly upon him ; his performance 

 lasted only an hour, and after waiting some time I 

 concluded his labours had ceased for the night. 

 About the same time (September 16) his ticking 

 returned with all its usual perfection in the same 

 spot. I determined at once to try and capture him. 

 Thinking this the best opportunity I had yet had, I 

 spread a white cloth upon the table, carefully taking 

 down the picture, releasing the stretcher and picture, 

 examining the rabbet, in fact every part, but could 

 perceive no signs of life whatever. I was obliged to 

 come to the conclusion the insect had, in some way, 

 slipped through my fingers. I feared I had injured 

 him and that I had destroyed all further chance of 

 being amused with his merry little tap ; I replaced the 

 picture as before. The next night about ten o'clock 

 we were visited with a very severe thunder-storm, 

 lasting from ten o'clock till daybreak, shaking the 

 house to its very foundation. I mention this because 

 I know the extreme susceptibility of these insects. I 

 have never heard them except under certain favourable 

 circumstances. On the 19th of September, about nine 

 o'clock, my servant excitedly informed me the death- 

 watch had begun again in the picture frame in the 

 kitchen, and as near as possible in the same spot. I 

 still entertained hopes of capturing him, but before 

 attempting, I had the following amusing experiments 

 for two hours : first I lifted the picture quietly in a 

 canting position from the wall, which it instantly 

 disapproved of by ceasing to tick ; I blew upon its 

 exact locality with a blow-pipe, again it was dis- 

 pleased ; I scratched the spot with a pin with the 

 same result. I tingled a tumbler glass, and made 

 noises in several ways, and it instantly displayed 

 its displeasure. Next I imitated its ticks by tapping 

 my nail with a piece of whalebone, and we were 

 the best of friends ; first very slowly, then increasing 

 by degrees, and at intervals, till I had the pleasure 

 and satisfaction of drawing the little fellow out, listen- 



