MANTIS. 
119 
Europe and is entirely of a beautiful green colour. 
It is nearly three inches in length, of a slender 
shape, and in its general sitting posture is observed 
to hold up the two fore-legs, slightly bent, as if in 
an attitude of prayer; for this reason the supersti- 
tion of the vulgar has conferred upon it the repu- 
tation of a sacred animal, and a popular notion 
has often prevailed, that a child or traveller having 
lost his way, would be safely directed by observ- 
ing the quarter to which the animal pointed when 
taken into the hand. In its real disposition it is 
very far from sanctity; preying with great ra- 
pacity on any of the smaller insects which fall in 
its way, and for which it lies in wait with anxious 
assiduity in the posture at first mentioned, seizing 
them with a sudden spring when within its reach, 
and devouring them. It is also of a very pugnaci- 
ous nature, and when kept with others of its own 
species in a state of captivity, will attack its neigh- 
bour with the utmost violence, till one or the other 
is destroyed in the contest. Roesel, who kept 
some of these insects, observes that in their mutual 
conflicts their manoeuvres very much , resemble 
those of Huzzars fighting with sabres; and some- 
times one cleaves the other through at a single 
stroke, or severs the head from its body. During 
these engagements the wings are generally ex- 
panded, and when the battle is over the conqueror 
devours his antagonist. 
Among the Chinese this quarrelsome property 
in the genus Mantis is turned into a similar enter- 
O 
