266 
DEATH-WATCH. 
casioned by the death-watch beating with firmness 
against the place. How groundless are our fears, 
and how opposite the intention of the innocent 
cause of all our apprehensions ! His ticking noise, 
far from being the harbinger of ill, is giving him by 
nature as a signal to attract his wandering mate, and 
lead her towards the place where he is stationed. 
We learn from Dr. Shaw, that it is chiefly in the 
advanced state of spring when this alarming little 
animal commences its sound, and that the prevail- 
ing number of distinct strokes which it beats is 
from seven to nine, or eleven. These beats are 
given in quick succession, and are repeated at un- 
certain intervals. The sound may be exactly imi- 
tated by striking the finger nail upon a table; and in 
old houses, where these insects frequently abound, 
their noise may be heard at almost every hour in the 
day. 
We have not hitherto been fortunate in our en- 
deavours to find this little object ; we have fre- 
quently heard it, and have often attempted to trace 
it to its hiding-place ; but it has always eluded our 
pursuit, and left us to regret our want of success. 
Mr. Stackhouse, who, after a diligent search to dis- 
cover one of these insects, at length found it on the 
bottom of his chair, has thus described the manner 
in which it proceeded to make the noise: The death- 
watch raised itself upon its hind-legs, and, with its 
body somewhat inclined, beat its head with great 
force and agility against the place where it stood. 
The chair bottom was of sedge, and this was strip- 
