98 



FAMILY III.— REAR-HORSES. 



when waiting for a victim, the position of prayer, as seen in 

 the illustration, (Fig. 60). This peculiar position, as well 



Fig. 60. — Praying Mantis. 



as its strange motion of swaying to and fro the elon- 

 gated front part of the body, and of assuming other 

 strange attitudes, has procured it many popular names, some 

 of which as peculiar as the insect itself. Rear-horse, Race- 

 horse, Camel-cricket, Praying-mantis, Soothsayer, etc., are 

 a few of them. 



The elongated prothorax, which is the longest segment 

 of the body, the enlarged front legs fitted for grasping, and 

 in which the coxae are very greatly enlarged, the large and 

 movable head loosely joined to a neck, are the most striking 

 characters of this large insect. The wing-covers are brown 

 or green, according to the sex, and are frequently highly 

 colored and marked. The sexes differ considerabh', the 

 male being slender with long wings, while the female has 

 onU' shorter ones, which can hardly be used for flight. As the 

 insect is not a native of our state it is not necessary to 

 give an extended description of it ; the illustration is sufl^- 

 cient to show its essential features. 



All the species of Mantidse are carnivorous, but they do 

 not pursue their prey as is usually the habit of such insects ; 

 they depend on their resemblance to twigs, leaves, etc., and 



