The Bionomics of South African Insects. 307 



and five Pardopsis ininctatissima, but the 

 Mantis would not toucli any of them, 



Sept. 29. Mantis still refused to eat, one P. pmictatls- 

 sima dead. 

 „ 30. Three more iJunctatissimci dead. Mantis 

 ate the ncoluh entirely. 



Oct. 1. 'Yh.Q x&va^anmg pitnctatissima dead. Putin 

 two Acr/ea encedon and one A. serena. 

 The Mantis seemed more keenly alive 

 to their presence than usual, eagerly 

 following them in their flight with sharp 

 turns of the head like a cat watching a 

 svi^allow. At last the serena gave her a 

 chance, and was immediately seized and 

 eaten. No more were eaten during the 

 day, and towards evening I put in another 

 A. serena. 

 „ 2. Tiie day being dull the three butterflies 



were quite inactive. I therefore placed 

 the serena near the Mantis, which soon 

 seized it, and ate nearly the whole of one 

 fore-wing and part of the other; finding 

 this unsatisfactory she dropped it. I then 

 offered her an encedon, which was promptly 

 taken and devoured entire, and immedi- 

 ately afterwards the serena was eaten. 

 „ 3. Wet day : no Acrseas procurable. Remain- 



ing encedon dead. 

 „ 4. Gave Mantis two A. encedon. She was 



evidently hungry, on two occasions making 

 futile jumps towards the butterflies as 

 they fluttered past, instead of waiting 

 for them to come within striking dis- 

 tance ; there was however a noticeable 

 decrease in her general vivacity. Eventu- 

 ally she cauglit both butterflies in quick 

 succession, and devoured them completely. 

 After the head of the second one was 

 eaten, a large drop of yellow liquid oozed 

 from the thorax. On tasting it she drew 

 back quickly and seemed uncertain 

 whether to go on or not, but finally put 

 her mouth to it and sucked it all up, 



