426 MODERN CLASSIFICATION OF INSECTS. 



transparent. In addition to the previously mentioned characters, the 

 males are but little smaller than the females ; they have longer an- 

 tennae, larger eyes, a narrower, smoother prothorax, longer fore legs, 

 with the raptorial part more slender. Some species, however, figured 

 by M. Rambur in his Entomol. Fauna of Andalusia, exhibit more 

 decided sexual differences. In M. Boetica the male is much more 

 slender, with a narrower head, than the female, which has wings and 

 wing-covers not extending beyond half the abdomen ; those of the 

 male being as long as the abdomen ; whilst in M. brevis the male 

 is equally slender, Avith full-sized wings and wing-covers ; but the 

 female is short, very broad, and with mere rudiments of wing- 

 covers. 



The most characteristic parts of the insect, however, are the fore 

 legs (^Jig' 52. 8.), which are much larger than the others, and formed 

 for seizing their prey ; the coxa^ are very long, the trochanters short 

 and triangular, the femora robust, compressed, curved on the under- 

 side with a channel, armed at its edges with a double row of strong 

 movable spines : this armed channel extends along the terminal half 

 of the femur, there being one or several long teeth in the centre of 

 the thigh. The tibire are short, horny, and curved, fitting into the 

 channel on the under side of the femora, terminated in a long curved 

 spine, and armed on the under side with shorter spines. The tarsi are 

 slender, and 5-jointed, reaching with the tibiae to the base of the 

 femora. The posterior legs are long and slender, and formed for 

 walking, with simple 5-jointed tarsi : sometimes these legs are fur- 

 nished with a membranous dilatation of variable form. 



The name given to these insects is Greek in its origin, and was 

 evidently bestowed on them from their attenuated form. In one of the 

 Idylls of Theocritus the word was employed to designate a thin, young 

 girl, with slender, elongated arms : " Praemacram ac pretenuem puel- 

 1am, nai'Tii'." (Griffith, Ati. Kingd. pt. 31. 188.) 



These insects are found upon plants and trees, and their attitude, 

 whilst lying in wait for their prey, which consists of other insects, is 

 very singular. They sit for hours together stationary, with the front 

 part of the thorax elevated, and with the fore legs held up together, 

 like a pair of arms, prepared to seize any insect which may fall within 

 their reach. It is hence that they have obtained a sort of sacred 

 character amongst the Turks, Hottentots *, and other suiierstitious in- 



* Sparrmann informs us that Mantis (Scliizocepliala) oculata is worshipped by the 



