The Mantis: her Love-making 



feminine rivalry. The working of the 

 ovaries seems to pervert the flock, inspiring 

 its members with a mania for devouring 

 one another. There are threats, personal 

 encounters, cannibal feasts. Once more the 

 spectral pose appears, the hissing of the 

 wings, the fearsome gesture of the grapnels 

 outstretched and uplifted in the air. No 

 hostile demonstration in front of a Grey- 

 Locust or White-faced Decticus could be 

 more menacing. 



For no reason that I can gather, two 

 neighbours suddenly assume their attitude of 

 war. They turn their heads to right and 

 left, provoking each other, exchanging in- 

 sulting glances. The "Puff! Puff!" of 

 the wings rubbed by the abdomen sounds 

 the charge. When the duel is to be limited 

 to the first scratch received, without more 

 serious consequences, the lethal fore-arms, 

 which are usually kept folded, open like the 

 leaves of a book and fall back sideways, en- 

 circling the long bust. It is a superb pose, 

 but less terrible than that adopted in a fight 

 to the death. 



Then one of the grapnels, with a sudden 

 spring, shoots out to its full length and 

 strikes the rival; it is no less abruptly with- 



139 



