382 SUPPLEMENT 



precautions ? The larva approaches by little and little the 

 surface of the wood, so that at the moment of its metamor- 

 phosis there remains but a feeble barrier through which the 

 perfect insect can pierce with facility. M. Olivier con- 

 jectures, that the noise which we hear may possibly be oc- 

 casioned by the blows of the larva against the wood, for the 

 purpose of ascertaining its thickness. Analogy, however, 

 would lead us to incline to the opinion of M. Latreille, that 

 this noise is intended to facilitate the approximation of the 

 sexes, and the re-production of the species. At the same 

 time it is probable, that further observations are necessary 

 for the complete elucidation of this interesting phenomenon. 



Superstition, which has availed itself of every thing 

 for the purpose of painting its terrors, and strengthening 

 its tyranny over the human mind, has not suffered this 

 little phenomenon to escape it. The vulgar name of death- 

 watch given to this insect, sufficiently announces the popular 

 prejudice respecting it ; and there can be little doubt that 

 the fate of many a nervous and superstitious patient has 

 been accelerated, by listening in the silence and solitude of 

 night, to this imagined knell of his approaching dissolu- 

 tion. 



The larva of Anobium paniceum feeds on farinaceous 

 substances, and on bread which has been preserved for a 

 long time. In such substances it forms itself a shell, is 

 changed into a nymph, and issues forth at the end of some 

 time, in the form of the perfect insect. 



Of the insects comprehended in the third and last section 

 of the serricornes, we can say but very little. The habits of 

 most of them are altogether unknown. We can only observe 

 of Lymexylon, that the larvae of this genus live in the in- 

 terior of wood, which they pierce or furrow, assisted by the 

 capricornes, the lepturi, and lucani ; the lymexylons often 



