THE EARLY COLD WEATHER 179 



air, alighted on a small shrub close by, and as it alighted 

 it disappeared. 



I had seen the mantis alight, and I had noted the 

 branch, and also the part of the branch, on which it had 

 descended ; and yet, look as I would, I could not 

 discover it. I looked long and carefully. The branch 

 was rather bare ; there were a few leaves on it, and 

 some twigs, but nothing more. Of the mantis there 

 was no sign. Suddenly, while I was still looking and 

 wondering what had become of it, one of the twigs 

 moved, sprang into the air, alighted on the path ; and 

 there was the mantis again, seated erect on the ground, 

 with its legs raised in the same devotional attitude as 

 before. 



There are in India many varieties of insects that, 

 when they place themselves in certain positions on 

 plants or shrubs, appear to be a part of the vegetation. 

 Many of them have been described, but to realize their 

 wonder they must be seen — one moment a twig, a leaf, 

 or a flower, the next moment a moth or a grasshopper. 



The most marvellous of these transformations that I 

 ever beheld was at the commencement of the ascent 

 from the valley of the Doon to Mussoorie. For the first 

 thousand feet or so the road zigzags up the steep face 

 of the mountain. The lowest portion of the road is 

 exceedingly bare, hot, and dusty. Along its outer edge 

 there grew a row of extremely small shrubs, hardly much 

 more than half a yard in height. The shrubs were 

 always covered with a profusion of white flowers, much 

 resembling " immortelles." In appearance they seemed 

 as dry and dusty as the road itself. 



