The Life of the Grasshopper 



the back of his corpulent companion, clings 

 on as best he can, steadies his hold. As a 

 rule, the preliminaries last a long time. At 

 last, coupling takes place and is also long 

 drawn out, lasting sometimes for five or six 

 hours. 



Nothing worthy of attention happens be- 

 tween the two motionless partners. They 

 end by separating, but only to unite again in 

 a more intimate fashion. If the poor fellow 

 is loved by his lady as the vivifier of her 

 ovaries, he is also loved as a piece of highly- 

 flavoured game. And, that same day, or at 

 latest on the morrow, he is seized by his 

 spouse, who first gnaws his neck, in accord- 

 ance with precedent, and then eats him de- 

 liberately, by little mouthfuls, leaving only 

 the wings. Here we have no longer a case 

 of jealousy in the harem, but simply a de- 

 praved appetite. 



I was curious to know what sort of recep- 

 tion a second male might expect from a re- 

 cently fertilized female. The result of my 

 enquiry was shocking. The Mantis, in many 

 cases, is never sated with conjugal raptures 

 and banquets. After a rest that varies in 

 length, whether the eggs be laid or not, a 

 second male is accepted and then devoured 



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