1867.] 19 
If we are right in our determination, the genus Bceocrara must inevitably fall 
to the ground, since the external character of fovcolato punctuation can hardly be 
deemed sufficient to establish a genus, and the other mark — that of the margined 
sides of the thoi-ax, on which Mr. Thomson seems to lay great stress — is all but 
universal throughout the fifty-eight species now comprised in the genus Trichop- 
teryx, and may be seen strongly developed in some of the commonest, e. g. T. 
grandicollis. 
With regard to the specific appellation of this insect, I do no think that the 
name " littoralis" originally applied by Thomson, or " Thomsoni," to which it 
was subsequently changed by Mr. Sharp, can either of them stand. Col. Mots- 
chulsky, in the " Bulletin de la Soc. Imp. de Moscou" ii., p. 504, 1845, assigned the 
name " Uttoralis " to a species of Ptenidium ; but since at the same time he changed 
the name of that genus to Trichopteryx, and described his species as " Trichopteryso 
littoralig" I suppose that, according to the rule generally received, a clear case of 
pre-occupation has been established, and that it will become necessary to adopt the 
name " variolosa," under which M. Mulsant has fully described this insect 
(Opuscules Entomologiques, C. xii., p. 187, 1861). 
Through the kind assistance of M. de Marseul, I have in my possession the 
specimen from which M. Mulsant described the characters of his Ptlliwm variolosmn, 
and this specimen is identical with the insects which we suppose to belong to 
Bceocrara littoralis, Thoms. 
The correct synonomy of this species ajipears to be : — 
Trichopteryx variolosa, Mulsant. 
varioloswm {Ptilium), Mulsant, Opusc. Ent., xii., p. 187, 1861. 
littoralis {Boeocra/ra), Thomson, Skand. Col. p. 99, 1855. (nomen prius 
usitatum) . 
Thomsoni, Sharp, Ent. M. Mag., Vol. ii., p. 230, 1866. 
A. Matthews, Gumley, April, 1867. 
On the asserted connection of Atropos with the " deo.th-watch." — In the number 
of the "Entomologist's Monthly Magazine" for May, 1867, p. 279, I perceive that 
Mr. F. Smith has expressed a doubt as to the capability of Atropos pulsatoria to 
produce the sounds attributed to it by naturalists. The following circumstance 
which came under my own immediate observation, perhaps may serve to throw 
some light upon the subject. 
A ticking sound, so precisely similar to that of a watch as scarcely to be dis- 
tinguished from it by the nicest discrimination, was perceived to proceed from a 
small work-box comiDrising several compartments. Now, as this very remarkable 
noise, which diflfers widely from the tapping sound produced by J.no&m»i,<esse/?a<w)rt 
is supposed by many persons to be caused by some species of spider, I resolved to 
investigate the phenomenon ; accordingly, having placed the work-box on several 
sheets of writing-paper, I proceeded to open the compartments in succession 
examining each, with its contents, in a good light, assisted by the employment of a 
large lens. After having carefully inspected the compartment first opened, a 
pause ensued, till the sound, which had been interrupted, was renewed. Proceeding 
cautiously in the manner described, the ticking sound was ultimately traced to the 
