The Death Watch.

Evening Post, Issue 12, 21 February 1865, Page 3

The Death Watch.

-The death watch is a very common inmate of our house. Among those who are unacquninted with the habits of insects, there is a common superstition that the strange ticking sound often heard in old houses is a sign of approaching death. The noise, however, is caused by a small beetle, which during its boring operations, rubs the neck and thorax (chest) together, by which means this, to somo persons, terrible omen, is produced — a fact which, if more generally known, would save a world of causeless anxiety and uneasiness, tn the larva state, these insects do great injury to our furniture and the wood work of old houses, which they gnaw continually. When captured, this little beetle feigns death with tha strangest pertinacity, preferrins.it is said, to suffer death under a slow fire than to betray the least sign of vitality. The death watch, on account of its retired habits, minute size, and dark color, is very seldom to be seen j and, as there are often several individuals working at the same time in their boring operations, the sound seems to proceed simultaneously from opposite directions, thus adding to the superstitious terror wherewith |by some persons it is regarded. The great- | est evil, however, is to he dreaded from the injury it does through its excavations.in the woodwork of our houses. It is not larger than a good sized flea. The Shopkeeper's EMnA.UR\ c s-wr.NT. — The ! following anecdote respecting the famous Eau de Cologne of leap Mario Farina h.is nppeared in a French journal: — there are many Farinas at Cologne, all of which, of course, claim to be the real Simon Pure. A French I gentleman who was recently in that city, being anxious to obtain a few bottles, entered into the handsomest of three fine shops, all I pretending to sell the genuine perfume. I After making a purchase, he conjured the | master of the establishment to say whether he was indeed the real Carina. Th« shop- [ kpeper seemed greatly embarrassed, but at I last confessed that he wis not, and that the i real Farina kept the shop at tlie other side of 1 the street. The gentleman thanked him for his candour, and imnudiately made another purchase at the shop indicated. The next day the Frenchman, happening to pass through the street with a native of Cologne, related his adventure, and wos not n, little astonished when his friend exclaimed, " The rasoal J why the shop to which he recommended you is a branc'i establishment of his own."