120 NORTH AMERICAN INSECTS. 



In what a cliiferent light does the naturalist look upon 

 the Mantis ! This cowardly and cruel insect, which is it- 

 self afraid of a little ant, can only be regarded as in the 

 attitude of those whom the poet describes as 



" BoiTOwing the livery of Heaven to serve the Devil in," 



if its position may be allowed any practical association at 

 all. It holds up its anterior tibiae merely for the purpose 

 of catching and destroying flies, caterpillars, plant-lice, and 

 other luckless insects who may come within the reach of its 

 forcep-like fore feet. 



These insects, according to the observation of all natural- 

 ists, are very warlike, voracious, and, did our limits allow, 

 we should quote many very interesting accounts of them 

 from the works of that eminent German entomologist, 

 Eoesel. Like Reaumure, in France, he was occupied the 

 greatest part of his life in making observations concerning 

 the life, habits, manners, use, and injuiy of insects; and 

 published the result of his labors in four volumes, from 

 1746 to 1761, under the title Insecten Belustigungen — "En- 

 tomological Amusements." Roesel was born in Germany 

 in 1705, was a contemporary of Linmieus, BuiFon, Tourne- 

 fort, and Jussieu. In the early part of his life he practiced 

 miniature painting in Nuremberg, but afterward devoted 

 himself entirely to the representation of insects, which he 

 drew from nature with uncommon accuracy. He then 

 wrote his valuable and classical work on that branch of 

 Natural History, and illustrated it with plates. He died 

 in 1759. 



To witness the warlike disposition and cruelty of these 

 soothsayers, it is only necessary to put several of them in a 

 box together, when they will immediately commence fight- 

 ing, furiously striking at each other with their long fore 

 legs. The males are considerably smaller than the females, 

 and in these encounters generally fall victims to the vo- 



