344 NATURAL ARRANGEMENT OF INSECTS. 



pical rains, — the only time when they voluntarily make 

 their appearance abroad. Although, probably, all are of 

 tropical origin, a few species have located themselves in 

 the South of Europe; but it is to be hoped that the tem- 

 perature of our climate is too variable and cold to suit 

 the constitution of these insects ; and although commerce 

 has imported many evils in concurrence with its bene- 

 fits, we heartily deprecate the possible introduction of 

 such unwelcome guests. Other allied forms, but which 

 are not social in their habits, are found in Embia and 

 Olyntha. 



(304.) The last sub-family of this first circle, the 

 Rhaphidiince, have, in the structure of some of its con- 

 stituents, a direct intimation of the proximity of the 

 next circle; for the genus Mantispa, with its lengthened 

 neck, and raptorial anterior legs, is a complete resem- 

 blance of Mantis itself. It has short clavate antennie ; 

 but the elongated neck is also the characteristic of the 

 family, — for the genus Rhaphidia, of which it is besides 

 formed, likewise possesses it in a remarkable degree. 

 The latter insect, in its larva state, is very voracious, 

 preying upon every other insect it can seize upon ; it 

 occurs chiefly in woods, upon the stems of oaks. The 

 genus is as yet known only as European, and all the 

 recorded species we possess in this country. Of Man- 

 tispa, the greatest number of species appears to occur 

 in America, although it is found all over the world ex- 

 cepting New H oUand. Some of the species seem to ' 

 indicate a strong affinity, in the structure of their wmgs, 

 to the genuine Orthoptera, — the anterior half of those 

 organs being occasionally semi-coriaceous, which is a 

 departure from the otherwise exclusively membrana- 

 ceous structure of those limbs tliroughout the circle 

 before us. 



(305.) We now enter the family of the Gryllid^; 

 the first sub-family of which, the Mantina, contains 

 two very different types of form, — namely. Mantis 

 and Phasma. Their habits differ as much as their 

 structure : the latter being herbivorous ; whereas the 



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