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ing-wasp and the prey she is bringing home. For a long time 

 she waits in vain ; for the Wasp is suspicious and on her guard : 

 still, now and then a rash one is caught. With a sudden 

 rustle of wings the Mantis terrifies the new-comer, who hesi- 

 tates for a moment in her fright. Then, with the sharpness 

 of a spring, the Wasp is fixed as in a trap between the blades 

 of the double saw the toothed fore-arm and toothed upper- 

 arm of the Mantis. The victim is then gnawed in small 

 mouthfuls. 



I once saw a Bee-eating Wasp, while carrying a Bee to 

 her storehouse, attacked and caught by a Mantis. The Wasp 

 was in the act of eating the honey she had found in the Bee's 

 crop. The double saw of the Mantis closed suddenly on the 

 feasting Wasp ; but neither terror nor torture could persuade 

 that greedy creature to leave off eating. Even while she 

 was herself being actually devoured she continued to lick the 

 honey from her Bee ! 



I regret to say that the meals of this savage ogress are 

 not confined to other kinds of insects. For all her sancti- 

 monious airs she is a cannibal. She will eat her sister as 

 calmly as though she were a Grasshopper ; and those around 

 her will make no protest, being quite ready to do the same 

 on the first opportunity. Indeed, she even makes a habit 

 of devouring her mate, whom she seizes by the neck and then 

 swallows by little mouthfuls, leaving only the wings. 



She is worse than the Wolf ; for it is said that even Wolves 

 never eat each other. 



After all, however, the Mantis has her good points, like 

 most people. She makes a most marvellous nest. 



This nest is to be found more or less everywhere in sunny 

 places : on stones, wood, vine-stocks, twigs, or dry grass, 

 and even on such things as bits of brick, strips of linen, or the 



