42 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



emits some foam like matter in which the eggs are con- 

 tained. This substance dries and forms the ootheca; 

 whilst attaining a sufficient consistency, it is maintained 

 in position by the extremity of the body and the tips of 

 the elytra, and it is shaped and fashioned by these 

 parts." 



One would take it from the above quotation that this 

 account of egg-laying is for the entire family. If it be 

 meant as Sharp states, an exception occurs in 

 Stagmomantis Carolina. Here the egg-case is fashioned 

 only by the organs at the extremity of the body, and not 

 in connection with the tips of the elytra ; neither do the 

 elytra or the tip of the body maintain the foamy sub- 

 stance in position until it hardens. The egg-case is 

 built of the foamy substance, which holds its shape just 

 as it is being fashioned, and no more needs the tip of 

 the body to support it until it hardens than a clay model 

 needs to be held by the modeler until it becomes firm. 

 The insect leaves the pile immediately after finishing 

 the gradual slope downward. The structure maintains 

 its form alone, but sometimes the material is soft enough 

 to be crushed between the fingers for perhaps six hours 

 after its completion. In so far as the use of the elytra 

 is concerned, either in fashioning or supporting the case 

 during its construction, any of the illustrations in this 

 paper will show that the wings cover less than two-thirds 

 of the length of the body and cannot by any means touch 

 the egg-case while it is being built. 



A female and her egg-case just a few hours after 

 oviposition are shown in PI. IX. This picture is about 

 exact size ; the case was the largest ever met with in my 

 experience with the mantis, while that shown in PI. X 

 is the smallest. Attention is called to the size and shape 

 of the abodmen of this female just after oviposition 

 (PI. IX) in contrast with the usual distended condition 

 prior to oviposition, as seen in the lower female on PI. 

 IV. One wonders how so large a mass could have been 

 packed in that body. 



