A QUEER PET. 



531 



done over again. Bnt the patience of the deviFs-riding-horse in 

 pursuit of a dinner is inexhaustible, his perseverance indefati- 

 gable, and sooner or later the fly was inevitably his : with a snap 

 like a steel trap, he clasped his victim, and, settling upon his 

 haunches, he stripped off the gauzy wings — but at this point I 

 fled. The small boy, however, had a stouter heart, and presently 

 he announced that the meal was over ; the devil's-riding-horse had 

 devoured the fly, every atom, and was licking his claws ! 



We had a good magnifying glass wherewith to pursue our 

 study of the prisoner, but it was easy enough to discern all his 

 movements, his very expression, with the naked eye. Every one 

 has seen flies go through the performance children call " washing 

 its face/' a sight so 

 familiar that we fail 

 to be impressed by it. 

 In the devil's-riding- 

 horse this is a most 

 amusing exhibition. 

 Our specimen would 

 thrust out his fila- 

 ment of a tongue, 

 carefully lick his ser- 

 rated claws, examine 

 them closely, scratch 

 the back of his head 

 which he twisted 

 from side to side, 

 rub one jaw and then 



the other, and turn and look at us out of those strange eyes of 

 his, as if to rebuke our impertinent staring. Not infrequently 

 he would end the performance with a mighty yawn — inaudible, of 

 course — and scamper away, as far as his limits would allow. His 

 bearing altogether was calculated to impress one with the idea 

 that he entertained a serene contempt for the whole human 

 family. 



Apparently he did not object to his imprisonment, for he 

 showed no disposition to escape when, time and again, the oppor- 

 tunity was offered him ; and except when a fly was introduced to 

 his consideration, he usually remained motionless against the side 

 of his cage, as often as not with his head downward. He never, 

 of his own accord, betook himself to the bottom, not even in pur- 

 suit of his prey, and he finally came to prefer the tin top of the 

 cage — possibly on account of the shade it afforded — clinging there 

 like a fly to the ceiling. If we inverted the cage, he instantly 

 crawled upward and clung to the bit of cardboard that did duty 

 for a top. Once, when one of his claws was accidentally caught 



Fio. 2.— Mantis beligiosa, with head raised. 



