] 28 Captain C. E. Williams' Notes on 



weeks on sprays frequented by lizards of all sizes and 

 remaining unhurt. The large Calotes lizards are dangerous 

 enemies, and when the leaves fall from the bushes during 

 the hot dry weather of February and March the Mantis 

 frequently becomes the victim of this lizard, which climbs 

 the stem of the bush from below and comes upon the 

 Mantis from behind. It will be noticed that the protective 

 coloration and markings of the dorsalsurfaceof the Mantis, 

 which is turned downwards, are very elaborate, as if to 

 conceal it against a possible foe advancing from that 

 direction, whence indeed the lizard usually comes. In 

 seizing the Mantis Calotes usually bites through the 

 prothoracic stalk ; the fore part of the insect bearing the 

 disc and the spiny raptorial limbs and head, falls to the 

 ground, while the more fleshy thorax and abdomen are 

 ingested. The tough exoskcleton of these parts is easily 

 digested by the gastric juice of the lizard. 



It may be added that the Mantis does not necessarily 

 frequent native plants, or those having blue blossoms ; it 

 may be found alike on exotic or on indigenous plants, and 

 on floral spikes bearing blossoms of any other colour. It 

 appears to be just as attractive to insects in these situations 

 as if it were on blossoms of its own colour. 



When irritated or alarmed by the close approach of 

 some threatening object, or of an enemy, this Mantis adopts 

 a very curious defensive attitude. The raptorial limbs, 

 which are usually held folded together in front of the 

 prothoracic disc, are now widely separated until they lie in 

 the plane of the disc, the inner aspect of the coxas being 

 directed forwards ; the femora and tibia remain folded upon 

 them as before. It is now seen that the internal aspect of 

 the coxse is coloured a brilliant purple, dotted over with 

 circular wliite or pale blue spots, and the femora have a 

 warm red-brown coloration on this aspect. The effect 

 produced by this coloration and by the blue prothoracic 

 disc showing between the separated coxa?, is that of some 

 curiously-shaped and brilliantly-coloured orchid. If the 

 irritating object, c. g. the linger or point of a stick, approach 

 too near, the Mantis strikes furiously at it witli its fore 

 limbs repeatedly and Avitli lightning-like rapidity. This 

 hostile attitude is shown by both immature and adult 

 insects, and is first exhibited by the nymph when the 

 coloration of the prothoracic disc and anterior coxse is 

 matured, i. e. about the end of the third month of pupal 



