It is .not indeed to be imagined that they who 1 are en- 

 gaged in the more important cares of providing the 

 immediate neceflaries of life mould have either leifurc 

 or inclination to investigate witk philofophic exactnefs 

 the caufes of a particular found : yet it muft be allowed 

 to be a very lingular circumftance that an animal fo 

 common fhould not be more univerfally known, and 

 the caufe of the particular noife which it occasionally 

 makes, be more generally understood. It is chiefly 

 in the advanced ftate of fpring that this alarming little 

 being commences its found ; which is no other than 

 the call or signal by which the infects of this fpecies 

 mutually attend to each other, and which may be con- 

 fidered as analogous to the call of birds ; though not 

 owing to the voice of the infect, but to its beating on 

 any hard fubftance with the fhield or fore part of its 

 head. The prevailing number of diftinct ftrokes which 

 it beats, is from feven to nine or eleven, which very 

 circumitance may perhaps still add in fome degree to 

 the ominous character which the animal bears amongst 

 the vulgar. Thefe founds or beats are given in a 

 pretty quick fucceffion, and are repeated at uncertain 

 intervals; and in old houfes where the infects are 

 numerous, may be heard almoft every hour of the day; 

 efpecially if the weather be warm. The found exactly 

 refembles that which may be made by beating mode- 

 rately hard with the nail on a table. 



The infect: is of a colour fo nearly refembling that 

 of decayed wood, viz. an obfcure greyifh brown, that 

 it may for a confiderable time elude the fearch of the 

 inquirer. It is about a quarter of an inch in length, 

 and is moderately thick in proportion. It belongs 



to 



