92 Messrs. C. B. Williams and P. A. Buxton on 



it was then consumed. Other specimens would not eat 

 aphids, but having captured them threw them aside. From 

 these and from contradictory records of other authors it 

 seems probable that either different aphids are attractive 

 in different degrees, or that this Mantid will only take 

 them when it is without other more palatable food. 



The following method of feeding the young Mantids was 

 devised, and could be applied to the feeding of any small 

 predaceous or insectivorous animals. Insects of every 

 description were collected in a very fine mesh net by sweep- 

 ing hedges, grass, growth along a ditch side, etc. The net 

 was then turned inside out into a beaker. If this was done 

 indoors, with the bottom of the beaker towards the light, 

 very few flies escaped. Finally, the beaker was covered 

 with a piece of coarse net and placed in the cage containing 

 the larvae. All the smaller insects in it rapidly escaped 

 through the net into the cage, while the larger ones, spiders, 

 etc., were kept inside the beaker. In this way Aleyrodes, 

 Coniopterygidae, Cercopids, Jassids and many small Diptera 

 were supplied in numbers and eaten. The mesh of the 

 net covering the beaker was increased as the Mantids 

 grew, until finally they were able to take any insects 

 obtainable. 



Several times when the sun was shining on the cage 

 the young larvae were observed on the back of the cage 

 following and repeatedly attempting to capture the shadow 

 of a fly moving on the glass front. This indicates that 

 their sense of smell is not highly developed. 



The insects lived throughout the summer, some in a 

 hothouse (average temperature about 75°), some in a 

 living-room ; while others even survived a trip for a few 

 days to an altitude of 3000 ft. in Norway. They are 

 apparently extremely hardy. 



As the larvae become older their habits change ; the 

 half-grown larva never jumps, and rarely stalks its prey, 

 preferring to capture such insects as happen to approach 

 it. More carelessness in feeding is also observed; legs 

 and wings of the prey are frequently dropped, and some- 

 times the unconsumed portion of a fly is allowed to make 

 its escape ; the larvae also are no longer so particular in 

 attacking their prey behind the head, but commence their 

 meal at any convenient part, abdomen, head or even 

 wings. When they were older their chief food was house 

 flies (Musca) and bluebottles (Calliphora), but they would 



