THE DEVIL'S RIDING-HORSE (MANTID^E). 19 



say, a sort of elastic operculum is formed, which, after 

 hatching, the larvae have to raise in effecting their egress 

 through the neck. 



Laterally to the important compartment with the 

 eggs, on either side are envelopes, formed of a foamy 

 substance, chitin- 

 ous, but very 

 light, made up 

 also of arched WftW V 



sft^f^^^^^ ; - 



cells, and dis- 

 posed by succes- 

 sive layers, COrre- FlG " 7- -Egg-capsule of Mantis religiosa. 



spending to the succession of the central chambers. 

 To these they must be regarded as mere protective 

 casings, since they contain no eggs. 



It is also in the light of protection that one must 

 look upon the layers of the two extremities of the 

 capsule. They do not contain eggs, and consequently 

 present no horny central cell, but are composed solely 

 of cellular tissue, analogous to that of the two lateral 

 zones of the other layers ; they simply afford additional 

 strength to the ends of the structure. The highest and 

 lowest cells that envelop eggs are smaller than the rest, 

 and possess only two, four, or six of these little objects, 

 for whose well-being alone they were established. 



The capsule is at first soft and whitish, but soon 

 darkens, and becomes firm, parchment-like, or very 



