The South Australian Naturalist. i6 



THE MANTIS. 



By Mrs. E. M. Brenn. 



The following' interesting' account of original observations 

 was read by Mrs. Brenn at a meeting of the Barrier Field 

 Naturalists' Club, and was forwarded by the Secretary of that 

 club, Mr. A. Morris : — 



I have chosen the mantis for my subject, because I think 

 we are all more or less familiar with this insect. It is often 

 seen gracefully cling'ing- to the foliage in the garden, or on trees 

 and bushes in the field and scrub country. It is easily kept in 

 captivity, so that anyone may study its habits, if they want to. 

 The mantis belongs to the order Orthoptera, and to the family 

 Mantidae. Locusts, crickets, and cockroaches are also orthop- 

 terous insects. Of tliis order, only the Mantid group is carni- 

 vorous. The mantids that I had under observation were mostly 

 the large green species, about three and a half inches long, with 

 a white stripe running from where the thorax joins the abdomen 

 to the end of the body, from which two flat thin tail-like parts 

 grow. These appendages are less than half an inch in length, 

 and are placed one on each side of the ovipositor ; the wings are 

 short, less than an inch in length, with a reddish-brown line 

 running around the front edge of the fore-wings. The wings 

 seem too small for flight. I have never seen them attempt to 

 fly. Four of the legs are long and slender, and at the end of 

 each is a small claw. The fore-legs, which are sharply and 

 strongly spined, are the most remarkable part of the insect. 

 They are thick and strong ; half waj^ down the third part of the 

 leg the thick part ends in a strong sharp hook, which points 

 iuAvard; from this part the leg continues, but very slender, 

 slenderer even than the other legs, and is also provided with a 

 small claw. It is the part from the sharp hook to the third 

 joint, and from the third joint half way down to the second, 

 that has a double row of sharp spines. It is almost impossible 

 for any insect to escape when once v\athin their fierce embrace. 

 The old mantids usually lack the third part of their fore-legs, 

 whether they are in captivity or in their natural haunts. This 

 is probably due to the way they hunt ; the fore-legs are thrown 

 out like a flash at the passing prey, and in time they must ^Qi 

 broken off, either among the bushes or on the wire of their 

 cage. 



