- 
14 Dr. G. D. H. Carpenter’s Experiments on 
In a subsequent letter Mr. Muir emphasises the fact 
that Idolum diabolicum captures its prey, as this flies down, 
by closing the tibia on the femur, and not by darting out 
the leg as other mantis do. . 
Dr. Sharp points out that “‘ the points of modification 
are the great size of the front legs and the colour of the 
coxae’’: the appendages on the coxae are especially 
characteristic of J/dolum and its immediate allies; the 
great shield on the thorax reaches maximum development 
in Idolum. The colour of the coxae “has a very floral 
appearance during life.” The attitude is very unusual in 
that the part of the coxa which is exposed is the inner 
face, which bears the petaloid coloration. If the legs 
were held in the normal position this coloration would 
not be seen. “In short the attitude assumed by the 
insect is thoroughly correlated with the special modification 
of colour and structure.” 
Dr. Sharp gives a coloured drawing, in which the femora 
are stretched out parallel with each other, continuing the 
line of the coxae, but the tibiae are bent on the femora 
and do not continue the same line, parallel with each other, 
as in the “ terrifying attitude.” 
Dr. Sharp makes no mention of this terrifying attitude. 
I had never heard of Jdoluwm before I saw it in 1916, and 
did not know it was held to be a floral simulator. This 
never occurred to me—the coloration seemed to me to 
be entirely for purposes of scaring away enemies. I never 
noted the attitude described by Mr. Muir. 
Obs. 27. Sp. 16.—After this interesting episode I 
took M. to a bush where there were two of the large, 
aposematic grasshoppers, Phymaleus viridipes, m 
copula. M. merely looked at them, and then occupied 
himself with other things. Just before he moved 
away he put out his hand to take the g, as if for- 
getting, but at once withdrew it and went his way. 
Obs. 28. Sp. 18.—Almost at once he caught and 
ate two Cyrtacanthacris ruficornis, each as big as the 
16 which he had passed over immediately before. 
Series E. Dec. 30.—At 10 a.m., the monkey having had a 
good feed of bananas at 9— 
Obs. 29. Sp. 10.—Lycid, Lycus constrictus: this 
beetle was offered with elytra pulled off; it gave out 
a very strong odour. M. would not take it; just 
touched it and took no more notice. 
ie 
