the Life History of Gongylus gongyloides. 137 



free of conspicuous colours aiad markings. In all these 

 insects one is struck by the recurrence of the peculiar 

 purple pigment for the production of petaloid colouring in 

 various \yMis, of the body. Dr. Sharp, in the article on 

 Idoluvi already referred to, has some useful remarks on 

 the distribution of this pigment in Mantises. In other 

 Orthoptera a purple or crimson coloration of the wings 

 and other parts of the body is not uncommon, and a 

 similar pigment occurs in other Orders of insects, e.g. 

 Hemiptera. 



The azure blue pigment of the prothoi'acic disc in 

 Gongylus is probably related to the purple pigment found 

 in other parts of the body, for it tends to change slowly to 

 purple, especially around the margins. One of my Mantises 

 when dying exuded a bead of purplish fluid from its mouth. 



I had hoped to find in a study of the life history of 

 Gongylus some indication which would throw light upon 

 the peculiar inverted position which it adopts, and for 

 which it is specially modified. No suggestions have how- 

 ever been derived Irom my investigations. At its exit 

 from the egg the nymph has already the form of the 

 mature insect, and the special coloration is produced as 

 soon as the insect is large enough lor it to be of any value 

 in its economy. Many other species may be found occupy- 

 ing temporarily an inverted position when lying in wait 

 for prey, but with the exception of Gongylus and Idolum I 

 know of none which is specially modified to this end. 

 Fuller information is required as to the habits of many 

 other species than is at present obtainable. The specimens 

 of dried Mantises available for study in our museums give 

 but little indication of the interesting and varied phenomena 

 which the insects exhibit during life. 



