_Marvell's Life and Works_ (Vol. v., pp. 439. 513.).--I thought the question proposed by J. G. F. had been answered to the satisfaction of all unprejudiced minds by the remarks on this subject published long ago. (See _Gentleman's Magazine_, vols. xlvi. & xlvii.; _Retrospective Review_, vol. xi., &c.) I say all _unprejudiced_ minds; for I confess that, although I am strongly prejudiced in favour of Marvell, yet the internal evidence of the poems in question is so strongly against Marvell, that I am compelled to resign them to their rightful owner. Any careful reader of poetry must acknowledge that every feature in the style is Addison's. Captain Thompson's having found them in MSS. in Marvell's own hand, is no proof of parentage, as in the same MSS. is one which undoubtedly belongs to Mallet, and another which has been proved to be from the pen of Dr. Watts. My chief reason, however, for intruding on your space is for the purpose of correcting a mistake into which all the biographers of Marvell have fallen, as to the time and place of his birth. It is again and again stated, without any correction, that he was born at Hull, on the 15th November, 1620. That he was not born at Hull I am at length reluctantly compelled to believe; and that the date of his birth is "March 2, 1621," I can prove from authorised documents in my own possession, copied from MS. in his father's hand-writing. With reference to MR. CROSSLEY'S hope that a new edition of his works might soon be published, I may say that a new biography of Marvell, with a selection from his works by a townsman, is already in the press. JOS. A. KIDD. Hull. _The Death-Watch_ (Vol. v., p. 537.).--A good account of this small insect will be found in the second volume of the _Introduction to Entomology_ by Messrs. Kirby and Spence. A chapter is devoted to the "Noises produced by Insects." "In old houses, where these insects abound, they may be heard in warm weather during the whole day. The noise is produced by raising the head, and striking the hard mandibles against wood. "Thus sings the muse of the witty Dean of St. Patrick on the subject: --------------------'a wood worm[5] That lies in the old wood, like a hare in her form: With teeth or with claws it will bite or will scratch, And chambermaids christen this worm a death-watch: Because like a watch it always cries click; Then woe be to those in the house who are sick! For, sure as a gun, they will give up the ghost, If the maggot cries click, when it scratches the post; But a kettle of scalding hot water injected, Infallibly cures the timber affected: The omen thus broken, the danger is over, The maggot will die, and the sick will recover.'" The kettle of scalding hot water is also very useful in houses infested with ants or black-beetles. WM. YARRELL. [Footnote 5: A small beetle, the _Anobium tesselatum_ of Fabricius.]