214 R. T. LEWIS ON THE LARVA OF MANTISPA. 



the two families is very pronounced. The Mantidae construct 

 a curious capsule or ootheca in which the eggs are laid in sym- 

 metrical rows, and are entirely covered in from view, whilst the- 

 eggs of Mantispa are laid singly, each mounted on a slender 

 stalk after the manner of those of the Lace-wing fly, Chrysopa 

 perla, which is not uncommon in this country. These eggs are- 

 white, with a pearly iridescence. As there are said to be about 

 600 species of Mantidae known, it is of course quite possible that 

 the description of the newly hatched Mantis given in the Cam- 

 hridge Natural History (vol. v. pp. 247-8) on the authority of 

 Pagenstecher, may correctly apply in some instances, it being 

 there stated that '^ when the young Mantis emerges from the egg 

 it bears little resemblance to the future insect, but looks more like- 

 a tiny pupa ; the front legs, that will afterwards become so re- 

 markable, are short and not different from the others, and the 

 head is in a curious mummy-like state, with the mouth part& 

 undeveloped, and is inflexed on the breast. The first ecdysis 

 soon takes place and the creature is thereafter recognisable as a 

 young Mantis." This, however, is distinctly contrary to my own 

 observation. Some years ago a correspondent in Natal sent me 

 the egg-case of a Mantis which he had found attached to a twig ;: 

 the packet was about three weeks in the post, and on opening it 

 I found that the eggs had hatched out during the voyage and 

 the box contained not only the egg-case, but about 150 young 

 insects all dead and dried, and looking at first sight not unlike 

 a small sample of tea. They were all more or less damaged 

 through being shaken together, but on examination I found that 

 they closely resembled the adult in nearly all respects except as 

 to size, colour and the absence of wings. The raptorial front 

 legs were fully developed, the head seemed of usual shape with 

 long many-jointed antennae and palpi as in the mature form, 

 and so far as I could make out the mouth parts were the same, 

 and there were certainly no indications whatever that these 

 larvae had ever changed their skins. A specimen of a similar 



