40 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



matings occurred just as readily in the cerciless females 

 as in the normal ones. 



To briefly summarize, then, the points to be gleaned 

 from these observations: 



The males as well as the females are ready for mating 

 very soon after becoming mature, L e., very soon after 

 the last moult. 



The species is highly polygamous and polyandrous 

 and spend much time in mating. About six or eight 

 hours is the usual duration of a single coitus, but it 

 may be much less, or it may be extended to fifteen or 

 eighteen hours. 



As a rule, two egg-cases are deposited by each female, 

 but mating is usually repeated in the few days' interval 

 between the two. 



The female generally refuses to mate during about 

 three days preceding oviposition, and is at this time es- 

 pecially likely to rid herself of anno;^dng suitors by eat- 

 ing them. 



The male seeks out the female and will contend for 

 her possession, the female will also fight for the male 

 but no coquettish display or other antics of courtship 

 such as have been recorded for other animals and in- 

 sects, have been observed in either sex of this species. 



The Making of the Egg-Case. 



The making of the egg-case in the mantis is truly a 

 wonderful phenomenon, — all the more so when com- 

 pared v/ith the process in other members of the fam- 

 ily- 



The eggs of most of the Orthoptera are deposited in 

 capsules which may contain one or a great number of 

 eggs. 



In the cockroaches (Blattidae; see Sharp, 1895, p. 229 

 et. seq.) the eggs are laid in a horny capsule formed 

 within the mother's body. This is carried about, pro- 

 truding from the hinder part of the body, until it may 

 be deposited in some suitable situation. 



