CH. X.] HISTORY OF THE MANTES, ETC. 151 



this esteemed, that if a childe aske the way to such 

 a place, she will stretch out one of her feet, and 

 show him the right way, and seldom or never misse. 

 As she resembleth these diviners in the elevation of 

 her hands, so, also, in likeness of motion, for they 

 do not sport themselves as others do, nor leap, nor 

 play, but walking softly, she returns her modestly, 

 and showes forth a kind of mature gravity." Such 

 are the marvellous stories told by old authors of the 

 praying mantes. 



This tribe of insects, which is scientifically termed 

 Mantides, is peculiar for the eggs being imbedded 

 by the female in a case of matter of the consistence 

 of fine parchment, of an orange colour, nearly two 

 inches in length, and about three fourths of an 

 inch in its greatest diameter. This mass is usually 

 fixed to the stalk of some plant. The eggs them- 

 selves are arranged in two rows in the coriaceous 

 mass. One of these masses being sent to Roesel, 

 he observed that a double row of egg-like bodies 

 sprouted up in close contact with each other in a 

 furrow, which divided the mass longitudinally; 

 these little eminences soon became animated, for 



