204 THE PR A YING MANTIS. 



the same kind friend who forwarded the interesting 

 sacred beetle, the " Cheops," described in " Wild 

 Nature." 



The cold journey and lack of food had made 

 the poor mantis look so nearly dead that I almost 

 despaired of his recovery. The food of this tribe 

 of insects being flies of any kind, a bluebottle, 

 which happened fortunately to be on the window- 

 pane, was captured, killed, and presented to the 

 illustrious stranger, who feebly nibbled a portion 

 of his body, drank a little water, and appeared 

 somewhat revived. The mantis was then placed 

 near the fire, and we hoped that warmth might 

 prove restorative. 



The mantis is never met with in England ; it 

 is a native of the warmer parts of Europe, and 

 various species are found in the tropics. It is 

 a large and powerful insect, varying from three 

 to five inches in length ; it has six legs. The four 

 legs which it uses in walking are long and slender, 

 while the pair nearest the head arc much thicker, 

 and are armed with very sharp spines, with which 

 the mantis kills the insects upon which it feeds. 



Its usual position is a sort of sitting posture, 



