( cxxvi ) 



attached, but this is somewhat misleading. As a fact the 

 separate egg receptacles are narrowed at the inner end and 

 directed obliquely upwards towards the openings. The young 

 Mantids unquestionably make their way out by these openings, 

 but some doubt has been expressed as to this being possible 

 in the African species, as the septum is as thin as a sheet of 

 paper. 



Shelford, in his description of these ocithecae in our Ti*ans- 



1. Section of an outheca (Amazons). 2. Side view of African outheca. 3. Transver.se 

 section of same. 4. A single e^g-sack from same, showing connection with openings. 

 5. Larva of Mantid jnat emerging from ootheca (China). 6. Cast pellicle taken from 

 opening of African ootheca. 



actions (1909, p. 513), assumes that it is impossible, and has 

 in consequence fallen into several errors. I find that the 

 septum, thin though it be, is really double, and I could pass a 

 pin between the two sheets and separate them. When the 

 young Mantis is in the egg the iiead and prothorax are 

 doubled down on the metasternum and abdomen. When it is 

 ready to emerge it wriggles its way upwards to the opening, 

 and it is not till it protrudes some way out of the opening 

 that it unfolds itself, very much in the same way as an insect 



