CHAPTER VI 



THE MANTIS: HER HUNTING 



ANOTHER creature of the south, at least 

 ^as interesting as the Cicada, but much 

 less famous, because it makes no noise. Had 

 Heaven granted it a pair of cymbals, the one 

 thing needed, its renown would eclipse the 

 great musician's, for it is most unusual in 

 both shape and habits. Folk hereabouts call 

 it lou Prego-Dieu, the animal that prays to 

 God. Its official name is the Praying Mantis 

 (M. religiosa, Lin.). 



The language of science and the peasant's 

 artless vocabulary agree in this case and 

 represent the queer creature as a pythoness 

 delivering her oracles or an ascetic rapt in 

 pious ecstasy. The comparison dates a long 

 way back. Even in the time of the Greeks 

 the insect was called Mavns, the divine, the 

 prophet. The tiller of the soil is not par- 

 ticular about analogies : where points of re- 

 semblance are not too clear, he will make 



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