1896.] ENTOMOLOGICAL NEWS. 77 



of some calamity, only by a little worm, which breeds in old 

 wainscot, and, endeavoring to eat its way out, makes a noise like 

 the movement of a watch !" (Secret Memoirs of the late Duncan 

 Campbell, 1732, p. 61). 



Authors were formerly not agreed concerning the insect from 

 which this sound of terror proceeded, some attributing it to a 

 kind of wood-louse, others to a spider. 



The " Death watch" commences its clicking, which is nothing 

 more than the call or signal by which the male and female are 

 led to each other, chiefly when Spring is far advanced. The 

 sound is thus produced: Raising itself upon its hind legs, with 

 the body somewhat inclined, it beats its head with a great force 

 and agility upon the plane of position. The prevailing number 

 of distinct strokes which it beats in succession is from seven to 

 nine or eleven; which circumstance, thinks Mr. Shaw (Zool. vi, 

 34), may perhaps still add, in some degree, to the ominous char- 

 acter which it bears. These strokes follow each other quickly, 

 and are repeated at uncertain intervals. In old houses, where 

 these insects abound, they may be heard in warm weather during 

 the whole day. Cowan' s Curious Facts. 



-o- 



SUPERSTITIONS ABOUT 'LADY-BIRDS." 



(COCCINELLID/E.) 



The Lady-bird {Coccinella septempunctata) in Scandinavia was 

 dedicated to the Virgin Mary, and is there, to this day, called 

 Nyckelpiga Our Lady's Key-maid, and (in Sweden, more par- 

 ticularly) Jung-fru Marias Gullhona the Virgin Mary's Golden- 

 hen. A like reverence was paid to this beautiful insect in other 

 countries; in Germany they have been called Frauen or Marien- 

 kafer Lady-beetles of the Virgin Mary; and in France are now 

 known by the names of Vaches de Dieu Cows of the Lord, and 

 Betes de la Vierge Animals of the Virgin. The names we 

 know them by, Lady-bird, Lady-bug, Lady-fly, Lady-con', Lady- 

 clock, Lady-couch (a Scottish name), etc., have reference also to 

 this same dedication, or, at least, respect. 



The Lady-bird in Europe, and particularly in Germany, where 

 it probably is the greatest favorite, and whence most of the su- 

 perstitions connected with it are supposed to have originated, is 



