THE MANTIS.— COURTSHII* 83 



only too many cases is never sated with embraces and 

 conjugal feasts. After a rest, of variable duration, whether 

 the eggs have been laid or not, a second male is welcomed 

 and devoured like the first. A third succeeds him, does 

 his duty, and affords yet another meal. A fourth suffers 

 a like fate. In the course of two weeks I have seen the 

 same Mantis treat seven husbands in this fashion. She 

 admitted all to her embraces, and all paid for the 

 nuptial ecstasy with their lives. 



There are exceptions, but such orgies are frequent. 

 On very hot days, when the atmospheric tension is high, 

 they are almost the general rule. At such times the 

 Mantis is ail nerves. Under covers which contain large 

 households the females devour one another more 

 frequently than ever ; under the covers which contain 

 isolated couples the males are devoured more eagerly 

 than usual when their office has been fulfilled. 



I might urge, in mitigation of these conjugal 

 atrocities, that the Mantis does not commit them when 

 at liberty. The male, his function once fulfilled, surely 

 has time to wander off, to escape far away, to flee the 

 terrible spouse, for in my cages he is given a respite, 

 often of a whole day. What really happens by the 

 roadside and in the thickets I do not know ; chance, 

 a poor schoolmistress, has never instructed me concerning 

 the love-affairs of the Mantis when at liberty. I am 

 obliged to watch events in my laboratory, where the 

 captives, enjoying plenty of sunshine, well nourished, and 

 comfortably lodged, do not seem in any way to suffer 

 from nostalgia. They should behave there as they 

 behave under normal conditions. 



Alas I the facts force me to reject the statement that 



