HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



245 



the sides of the abdomen, the anterior feet unusually 

 long and flattened, and made for the purpose of cap- 

 turing and retaining prey, all these form a combi- 

 nation of characters not met with in any other group 

 of insects. 



The remarkable form of fore foot, it may be men- 

 tioned en passant, in which the lower half is capable 

 of being drawn back and pressed closely against the 

 upper portion, so as to form a veritable pair of pin- 

 cers, is not [unique. It occurs in a Neuropterous 

 species, Mantispa, which is spread over Middle 

 Europe, Russia, &c. ; and it crops up again in the 

 Mantis shrimp {Squilla mantis, E.), a crustacean 

 not uncommon in the Mediterranean. 



Fig. 148. Praying Mantis (Male insect). 



The movemenrs of the praying insect are exceed- 

 ingly slow and deliberate ; in fact, the animal trusts 

 more to cunning and address than to speed in the 

 pursuit of its prey, remaining motionless for hours 

 on a twig or branch, waiting quietly until some in- 

 cautious insect passes within reach of its long sickle- 

 like forceps, one of which is immediately thrust for- 

 ward, grasping the victin"i in an embrace which no 

 struggles can tear asunder. Should the insect fail in 

 its object, it resumes its former position, and patiently 

 awaits the advent of another unfortunate. 



Fig. 149. Praying: Mantis (female), with capsule of eggs, from 

 which the young are escaping. 



The attitude of the Mantis while thus keeping 

 watch is very singular. With the head and thorax 

 thrown well back, instead of on a level with the 

 rest of the body, as is usually the case, with the long 

 abdomen resting on the four hinder legs only, and 



with the two forelegs raised upwards and crossed 

 over each other, its appearance long since drew the 

 attention of passers-by and caused them to look upon 

 it as something strange and unnatural. \Yiiat could 

 the upraised and crossed forelegs indicate but an 

 attitude of devotion? So reasoned our illogical fore- 

 fathers, and in consequence the animal received 

 various names bearing on this wonderful theoryj 

 which have been universally adopted. With the 

 Erench it is the Prega-Diou {Trie-Bieii), Souva-Dios, 

 and 'Le Precheur ; with the Germans it is Gottes- 

 anbeterin; while English-speaking nations have 

 dubbed it the Praying Insect. Naturalists have 

 aided in propagating the superstition by giving 

 names to the different species, which imply 

 some kind of sanctity ; thus we have 

 Mantis oratoria, religiosa, superstitiosa, 

 and so forth. In the middle ages the 

 belief in the semi-divine nature of this 

 insect appears to have been unbounded. 

 The great S. Erancis Xavier is said to 

 have held a conversation with one, which 

 he came f across in a forest, and to have 

 induced it to chant a hymn ! Mouifet, 

 a writer on natural history of the 17th 

 century, in describing the common Man- 

 tis of Southern Erance with which he was 

 well acquainted (II. religiosa, L.), speaks 

 of its habit of raising its forelegs, and 

 then says, " If a child on meeting one of 

 these animals should inquire the way, it 

 will immediately point it out, extending one of 

 its legs in the right direction." The historian 

 gravely adds, with an evident air of complete 

 conviction, " Rarely, if ever, does the creature 

 make a mistake." 



Nor was this feeling of veneration confnied to the 

 nations of Europe. At the present day (and doubt- 

 less it was the same in old times also) a Mantis is 

 an object of worship with certain tribes of North 

 Africa. Sparmann also tells us ("Travels in Africa") 

 that in the southern part of the same continent it 

 is venerated by the Hottentots; and that should 

 one of these insects chance to settle on an individual, 

 he is looked upon in the light of a saint, and as 

 specially favoured by Heaven. 



In spite of their divine attribute, all the species 

 of Mantis are remarkable for that very human 

 failing — a propensity to slaughter their fellows — 

 like " the mighty murderers of mankind, they who 

 in sport whole kingdoms slay ; or they whoto the 

 tottering pinnacle of power waded through seas 

 of blood." (R. Glyn : " The Day of Judgment.") 

 If a number of these insects are placed together 

 in a box, forthwith a " free fight " commences, and 

 before many minutes have elapsed the weakest 

 have been compelled to succumb. And not only do 

 they slay their brethren, but eat them afterwards. 

 Should the mixed company consist of males and 



