244 



year Mr. Ashmead described it as P. mantis (properly mantidis) in the 

 Canadian Untomologist. 

 Our object in publisliinji' this note at this time is mainly to introduce 

 a figure of this remarkable insect in order to enable its 

 ready recognition by those who rear it in the future. 

 The "Eear Horse" or "Camel Cricket" is so common 

 an insect and one which attracts such general atteutioin 

 that its commonest i)arasite should be known. 



We show at Fig. 30 a cross section of the egg-case 

 collected by Mr. Webster in Australia, as it exhibits an 

 interesting variation in the arrangement of the eggs. 

 The tough, horny substance forming the outer layer of 

 the case is much thicker than in our species, and the 

 iuner pod contains the eggs in layers and arranged con- 

 centrically about a central channel, toward which the 

 head end of each points, enabling each of the young 

 Mantids to issue without interference with its neigh- 

 bors. The egg-case, however, ccmtains several dead 

 specimens of a species of Podagrion. These in every 

 case hold a reversed position, with the head away from 

 the central channel, and, as evidenced by the round 

 holes through the outer crust of the case, they were 

 enabled by this fiict to gnaw directly out through the 

 crust of the inner pod and 

 through the outer casing. 

 With the egg-cases of our com- 

 mon Stafimomantis Carolina 

 there is no such concentrical 

 arrangement of the eggs, and 

 the outer envelope is comparatively thin. The 

 eggs all stand on end as shown by Fig. 31, 

 which exhibits a cross section of one of these 

 cases. All of the eggs, however, are inclined 

 somewhat toward the two central channels, so 

 that the youug, on hatching, possess the same 

 free method of exit. With the parasites, however, the case is somewhat 

 complicated. The holes of exit are seen pierced 

 through the sides of the egg-case just as with the 

 Australian species, but, as none of the eggs have their 

 bases directly toward the sides of the case, but only 

 to the surface of attachment of the egg nuisses, the 

 parasites are obliged, before gnawing their way out, to 

 twist about within the narrow space to which they 

 have been contined and gnaw their way through the 

 envelope in what must be a cramped and disadvantageous position. 



The time of issuing of the parasites and the time when the young 

 Mantides make their appearance seem to bear a somewhat constant 



Tig. 20.— Egg-cases 

 of Stagmomantiis 

 Carolina — natural 

 size (after Riley). 



Pig. 30. — Cross section of egg- 

 case of Australian Mantid — 

 .slightly enlarged (original). 



Pig. 31. — Cross section 

 of egg-case of Stag- 

 momantis Carolina — 

 slightly enlarged 

 (original). 



