THE DEVIL'S RIDING-HORSE (MANTIDsE). 5 



neglect not to remove it out of harm's way, should it 

 appear exposed to the slightest possibility of danger. If 

 a Hottentot by accident kill or maim the local species, 

 he is believed to be thereby doomed to ill-luck for life, 

 and never afterwards can shoot buffalo or elephant. 



In fact, in Africa, both among the Hottentots and 

 among certain tribes to the north, this strange feeling of 

 veneration attains its highest limits, amounting, as some 

 allege, to actual worship. In the case of the former 

 people, should one of these insects chance to alight on 

 an individual, he immediately becomes a saint in their 

 eyes, a special favourite of Heaven. 



Monkish legends go the length of making the mantis 

 give utterance to its devout sentiments ; a specimen 

 settling on the hand of St. Francis Xavier, he desired it 

 to sing the praises of God, whereupon it carolled forth 

 a very beautiful canticle. " So divine a creature is this 

 esteemed," says Mouffet, " that if a childe aske the way 

 to such a place, she will stretch out one of her feet, and 

 show him the right way, and seldom or never misse." 



Not Saints, but Tigers. 



But in one corner of the world, at any rate, its out- 

 ward actions seem to be taken for what they are worth, 

 as indicated by the Brazilian, somewhat uncomplimentary 



