It is not indeed to be imagined that they who are en¬ 
gaged in the more important cares of providing the 
immediate neceflaries of life fhould have either leifure 
or inclination to inveftigate with philofophic exadtnefs 
the caufes of a particular found: yet it mull be allowed 
to be a very fingular circumftance that an animal fo 
common fhould not be more univerfally known, and 
the caufe of the particular noife which it occafionally 
makes, be more generally underftood. 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 fignal by which the infers 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 infeft, but to its beating on 
any hard fubftance with the fhield or fore part of its 
head. The prevailing number of diftinA ftrokes which 
it beats, is from feven to nine or eleven, which very 
circumftance tnay perhaps ftill add in fome degree to 
the ominous character which the animal bears amongft 
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 exaAly 
refembles that which may be made by beating mode¬ 
rately hard with the nail on a table. 
The infeA 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 
