A Kp]w Beneficial Insect in America. 49 



They are also cannibals.— Dr. Kiley lias graphically portrayed 

 the cannibalistic habit of these bloodthirsty creatures which are for- 

 ever quarreling and at enmity among themselves, as well as with all 

 other insects. " Many a iierce battle is fought by the males in 

 which neither eye nor limb is spared, and in which the winner ends 

 by making a repast of the body of the vanquished. They are so 

 void of feeling that the male risks his life in courting, and usually 

 succeeds only by slyly and suddenly surprising his mate, who after 

 accepting his embrace, often coolly seizes and devours him. So 

 tenaciously do these insects fight that they will continue without 

 cessation or inconvenience for some minutes after the loss of their 

 heads. We have seen a female, decapitated and with her body 

 partly eaten, slip away from another that was devouring her, and 

 for over an hour afterwards fight as tenaciously and with as much 

 nonchalance as though nothing had happened." An instance is 

 recorded in which the female Mantis iirst cut off the head of her 

 mate, after which coupling took place, which was followed by the 

 female devouring the male. In their mutual conflicts, one writer 

 observes that their maneuvers very much resemble those of hus- 

 sars fighting with sabres ; and the Chinese, aware of their sav^- 

 age, pugnacious propensities, often keep these insects in cages 

 and match them together in combats, as is done with fighting- 

 cocks. Rosel, who published many interesting observations about 

 these creatures nearly 150 years ago, states that they are, how- 

 ever, as cowardly as barbarous, for the instant that he introduced 

 some ants amongst them, the Mantids endeavored to escape in every 

 direction. 



Dufour has recorded that Mantis religiosa possesses the power 

 of producing a mournful sound by rubbing the extremity of the 

 body against the wings. Mr. Atwood also writes us " that one day 

 when two of his Mantids observed each other they made a whirring 

 noise by rubbing a leg against a wing in order to frighten the other, 

 and each watching the other very closely, and on the alert to give 

 a spring." 



The egg's. — In Europe this Praying Mantis lays its eggs in 

 September and they hatch the following June. Our observations 

 4 



