130 Captain C. E. Williams' Notes on 



Mid-day is choscu for this work. The insect retires from 

 its usually exposed position to within the shelter of the 

 foliage, and constructs the egg-case on a branch of the 

 bush near the stem, or on the stem itself If on a branch, 

 it is always placed on the under-side, and constructed from 

 the stem outwards towards the periphery of the bush. If 

 situated on the stem it is formed from below upwards. The 

 insect, having taken up her position, proceeds to pour out 

 secretions from the accessory genital glands, with which 

 she builds up the ootheca. These secretions appear to be 

 of two kinds ; the one is a thick viscid semi-transparent 

 fluid which very rapidly hardens to the consistency of horn ; 

 the framework and nearly the whole bulk of the structure 

 is formed of this material, and the eggs are extruded and 

 placed in rows, with their long axis vertical to the branch 

 on which the ootheca is built. The second secretion is 

 thinner in consistency, and as it pours out is beaten up 

 into a white foam or lather-like mass, by the very rapid 

 rotation of two small spatulate organs which are protruded 

 at the sides of the genital orifice. This lather-like substance 

 envelops the egg at the moment of extrusion, so that the 

 manner in which it is placed in a position at right angles 

 to that it occupies during its exit from the oviduct cannot 

 be made out. As the eggs are placed in position the lather 

 is constantly being swept aside by the end of the abdomen 

 until it occupies a position on the outside of the ootheca, 

 which it entirely clothes throughout to a depth of ^ of an 

 inch. Its function appears to be, in the first place, to 

 protect the egg from parasitic insects until it is firmly 

 placed in its matrix, and secondly, as an outer covering to 

 the ootheca, to shield its contents from the direct rays of 

 the sun and from the desiccating effects of the hot air. 

 The lather is full of air-bubbles, and at first is sticky, 

 adhering to the fingers like bird-lime, gradually changing 

 to a firm spongy consistency. It is quite tasteless and free 

 from odour. It no doubt protects the ootheca from the 

 depredation of possible foes. I have frequently noticed a 

 small parasitic hymenopteron sitting upon the exterior of 

 the egg-cases, but have never hatched out any from them. 

 A small black ant, however, circumvents the measures 

 taken by the Mantis for the safe protection of its eggs by 

 boring into the egg-case between it and the bough to 

 which it is attached, and robbing it of its eggs and their 

 contents. The ootheca is roughly square in section. The 



