60 MECHANICAL FUNCTIONS. 



dom, or never misses. As she resembleth these divi- 

 ners 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 again 

 modestly, and shows forth a kind of mature gravity." 

 This is only the position of the Mantis, that it takes to 

 catch its prey. 



The praying position, and soft modesty of this insect, 

 which charity and superstition thus metamorphosed into 

 kindness and virtue, by a more attentive examination of 

 its habits, prove to be nothing more than cunning devices 

 to secure its prey, being one of the most cruel and vo- 

 racious of all the Insect tribes. The patience of the 

 Mantis, says Bingley, in waiting for its prey, is remarka- 

 ble, and the posture to which superstition has attribu- 

 ted devotion, is no other than the means used to catch 

 it. When it has fixed its eye on an insect, it rarely 

 loses sight of it, though it may cost some hours to accom- 

 plish its destruction. If it see an insect a little beyond 

 its reach, over its head, it slowly erects its long thorax, 

 then resting on the posterior legs, it gradually raises the 

 anterior also. If this brings it near enough to the in- 

 sect, it throws open the last joint of its fore paws, and 

 snaps the object between the spines that are set in rows 

 on the second joint. If it is unsuccessful, the paws are 

 not retracted, but still held forth waiting for the victim 

 to come again within its reach. Should the insect go 

 far from the spot, the Mantis flies, or crawls after it, 

 slowly, like a cat. 



Observations of RoeseL Roesel, the naturalist, de- 

 siring to study the character and habits of this curious 

 creature, put some of the eggs into a glass case until 

 they hatched. The young ones, immediately dis- 

 played the most savage disposition towards each other, 

 but Roesel supplying them with flies, which they tore 

 in pieces and devoured with avidity, he in this way 

 saved some of his brood for a time. But notwithstand- 

 ing he supplied them well with insects, they continued 

 to devour each other apparently through wantonness. 

 Despairing at last of rearing any of them to the winged 

 state, he seperated them into small companies, under 



