STRAIGHT-WINGED INSECTS. 167 



mit of their doing any such injury. They are, howev- 

 er, justly persecuted and destroyed by gardeners, be- 

 cause they make holes in ripe fruit, as peaches, apri- 

 cots, pears, and prunes, and feed on them. They are 

 also, very prone to conceal themselves in pink flowers 

 and dahlias, when in full bloom, and spoil them. On 

 this account, gardeners often suspend lobster shells, 

 reeds, &c. on these plants, that the Ear-wigs may con- 

 ceal themselves in them instead of the flowers. 



The Soothsayers. Mantis ; 



Are distinguished by an unusually long, flat hind- 

 body, a perpendicularly erected long necklike thorax, 

 short, horizontally folded, generally green, or grayish 

 brown wings, two very long fore-legs, which are con- 

 tinually stretched out to catch insects, and two short 

 antenna?. 



They have received the name Mantis, from the 

 Greek word signifying Soothsayer, on account of their 

 curious motions, and that of Camel-Crickets, from the 

 great length of their neck. 



They are very seldom found in the middle or eastern 

 States of the Union, but are seen in Maryland and all 

 the southern States, and several species are found in 

 the tropics. 



They dwell upon the leaves of trees and bushes^ 



