156 INSECT MISCELLANIES. 



they are very tenacious of life, he continued to appear 

 lively for a considerable time ; but the female ended 

 by devouring him *. 



The singular form, and particularly the attitudes, 

 of the insect in question, have given rise to several 

 superstitions. " They are called Mantes, that is, for- 

 tune-tellers," says Mouflfet, " either because by their 

 coming (for they first of all appear) they do shew the 

 spring to be at hand, so Anacreon, the poet, sang ; or 

 else they foretell death and famine, as Cselius, the 

 scholiast of Theocritus, writes ; or lastly, because it 

 always holds up its fore feet like hands, praying, as it 

 were, after the manner of their diviners, who, in that 

 gesture, did pour out their supplications to their gods. 

 So divine a creature is this esteemed, that if a childe 

 aske the way to such a place, she will stretch out one 

 of her feet, and shew him the right way, and seldome 

 or never misse. As she resembleth those diviners in 

 the elevation of her hands, so also in likeness of mo- 

 tion, for they do not sport themselves as others do, 

 nor leap, nor play, but walking softly, she returns 

 her modesty, and showes forth a kind of mature 

 gravity f." 



The attitude, however, which has obtained for the 

 insect the name of praying mantis (Prie Dieu, in 

 France), is nothing more than the posture in which it 

 patiently lies in wait for its prey ; for, having once set 

 its eyes upon an insect, it rarely loses sight of it, 

 though it may require some hours before it can make 

 a capture. Should the insect be over head, and be- 

 yond its reach, it slowly erects its long neck, and 

 elevates itself on its hind legs. If this bring it within 

 reach, it throws open the last joint of its fore paws 

 and snaps the insect between the spines, set in rows 

 on the second joint. Should it prove unsuccessful, 



* Encyclopedic Methodique, Insectes, in voce, 

 * Theatre of Insects, page 983. 



