312 



Mr. G. A. K. Marshall on 



April 16. One Limnas chrysippus eaten. 



„ 20. One „ „ „ ; then left 



her a month entirely without food, which 

 however did not seem to affect the 

 health or vitality in any way. 

 May 19. One Acvtva axina eaten. 



,, 22. One L. chrysiiypus „ 

 June 4. One „ ,, „ 



„ 5. Two „ „ „ This insect never 



once exhibited the least signs of distaste 

 for any of the butterflies, and devoured 

 them all with avidity, showing a marked 

 contrast to the Mantis first experimented 

 with (IX.), which throughout exhibited 

 an intense dislike to the Acrseas, and 

 evidently ate them from sheer hunger. 

 The close proximity of these two kinds of 

 Mantis suggests the idea that they might 

 possibly be seasonal forms of one species 

 in which the winter form has adapted 

 itself to an Acra^a diet, owing to the com- 

 parative scarcity of other butterflies at 

 that season. In spite of its diet and long 

 fast, this Mantis was still fully as vigorous 

 and healthy as when first captured. 

 „ 30. Ate one L. clwysippus. 

 July 8. Gave it two Acnva axina ; it tasted both of 

 them several times, but in every case at 

 once discarded them with evident disgust. 

 Gave it two more A. axina \iiih. precisely the 



same result. 

 Ate one L. c]irysipp)us. 



Aug. 



Sept. 



22. 



21 

 22 



28 



21) 



4, 



„ two „ 

 Put in one L. chrysippius. The Mantis 

 showed its normal eagerness, and followed 

 it about for some time, finally attempting 

 to seize it, but failed. The vigorous 

 llutterings of the butterfly seemed to 

 frighten the Mantis, which ran away 

 from it and made no further attempt to 

 catch it. 

 0. Put in two more chrysippus, but Mantis 



