28 LIFE STORIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. 



Other families of the Orthoptera by the following 

 characteristics : — 



The triangular head, viewed from the front, 

 movable on a neck region. Viewed from side or 

 back, the head is elongate. The long prothorax is 

 usually laterally longer than each of the other di- 

 visions, the strongly developed raptorial (fitted for 

 seizing) front legs, (Plate 5, Fig. 2 a), and the 

 jointed cerci on the end of the body are also dis- 

 tinguishing features. 



We will take the common green Mantis (Ortho- 

 dera ministralis) as a type of the family. 



The length from the head to the end of the body 

 is about 1 1 inches. The head is triangular, with 

 t;ny, bright bead-like eyes standing out at two 

 corners of the triangle. The antennae are short, 

 and the mouth parts are well developed. The 

 quickness with which the head can be turned is 

 most marked. Two pairs of wings are present. 

 The front pair is green and opaque ; the hind pair 

 larger and each folded in the characteristic fan- 

 like way beneath the front wing. 



The legs are not uniform in size, the front pair 

 is much larger and stronger than either of the other 

 pairs. These front legs are spined on the under 

 surface, and a kidney-shaped bluish purple mark 

 is present on the tibia of each. The abdomen has a 

 somewhat flattened appearance from above. 



Life History of Green Mantis. 



iOrthodera ministralis-) 

 The eggs are deposited in a lozenge-shaped 



