hitherto confounded under the Name of Mantis, 7 



length of the abdomen. Only one fpecies of this genus is entirely 

 without wings. 



The legs of the Phafmata are all formed for running, and like t6 

 each other J the fore legs are placed fo near to the head that they are 

 excavated near the bafe to make room for the head between them. 

 This is a very certain natural diftinftion, by which one may know 

 whether even an imperfect fpecimen is a Pfjafma or a Mantis. The 

 Phafmata of the firfl family have very long and narrow fore feet, fre- 

 quently with triangular and thorny legs. Thofe of the fecond family 

 have lliorter fore legs, with broad margins. 



The Mantes have, inftead of fore legs, arras, with nearly fciffor- 

 formed hands; the upper arms and elbows are, according to the fa- 

 milies, either narrowly or widely dentated or fringed. The four hind 

 legs are for running; moftly plain, more rarely adorned with foli- 

 ated margins on the thighs, and (till more rarely on the tibiae. 



This comparifon fhows fufficiently that the Phafma and Mantis are 

 two very diftincSt genera. 



Before I begin the fyftematic defcription in the manner of Fabri- 

 cius, I muft fpeak of the families or divifions of the genera. The 

 primary divifions I have taken from StoU. They depend in both 

 genera on the rounded or more flattened ftruflure of the whole body, 

 with which alfo the length of the fore legs agrees. The Phafmata 

 of the firft family, that is the rounded ones, I divide again into 

 winglefs and winged ; the flat Phafmata require no further fub- 

 divifion. 



The Mantes of the firft family, that is, (following the fame order 

 as in the Phafmata, although StoU takes them laft,) the rounded 

 ones, I divide into winglefs and winged. The laft again according 

 to their eyes, which are either angular or round. The family of the 

 flat Mantes may be feparated into two companies ; the gouty ones, 

 with leaves on their legs, and the round-legged ones, without them. 



4 Thcfc 



