the Biology of Sphodromantis guttata. 89 



to follow Brongniart, and his statement appeal's in most 

 text-books. We find, however, that the two former 

 writers were correct, and that the tergites of the meso- 

 and meta-thorax and of the abdomen are covered, except 

 for a narrow dorsal line; with a number of very minute 

 backwardly directed flattened spines. These are broader 

 and with an enlarged base towards the anterior margin of 

 each tergite, particularly those of the thorax, and become 

 narrower and longer towards the posterior margin (text 

 fig. 1, A and B and PI. VIII). They are also present on 

 the labium. The spines are only 8-12 /.i long, and are best 



*■ 



TOW 



c ' 



I'n.. 1. Spines on tergites of first larva. 



A. Near posterior margin of abdominal tergites. 



B. Near anterior margin of thoracic tergites. 



C. Portion of abdominal tergite less magnified. 



seen in stained preparations of the cast skin under a high 

 magnification. There are also four rows of much larger 

 spines on the Bilk-producing papillae. 



These spines have been found in a number of other 

 species, including Man/is religiosa, Stagmomantis carolma, 

 Stagmomantis limbata, and in several species of which 

 we have been able to get a few dried cast skins still at- 

 tached to old unidentified oothecae. There is no doubt 

 that they will be found in all Mantidae. 



We find also that all the distinctly visible spines on 

 the legs (PI. VII, fig. \<l) are beneath the first skin and are 

 seen through it; they can therefore be of no service in 



