8 ‘ INSECTA. 
These Insects, which are only found in southern and temperate 
climates, remain on plants or trees, frequently resemble their leaves 
and branches in the form and colour of the body, and are diurnal. 
Some of them are rapacious and others herbivorous. Their eggs 
are usually enclosed in a capsule formed of some gummy substance 
which hardens by exposure to the. air, and divided internally into 
several cells; it is sometimes in the form of an oval shell, and at 
others in that of a seed, with ridges and angles, and even bristled 
with little spines. The female glues it on a plant or other body 
raised above the earth. Their stomach resembles that of a Blatta, 
but their intestines are shorter in proportion(1). 
In some, the two anterior legs are larger and longer than the 
others, the coxe and thighs stout, compressed, armed with spines 
underneath, and the tibiz terminated by a strong hook. ‘They have 
three simple, distinct eyes, approximated into atriangle. The first 
segment of the trunk is very large, and the four lobes of the ligula 
are almost equalin length. The antenne are inserted between the 
eyes, and the head is triangular and vertical. ' 
These species are carnivorous, and seize their prey with their fore 
legs, which they raise upwards or extend forwards, flexing the tibia 
With great quickness on the under part of the thigh. Their eggs, 
which are numerous, are enclosed in a corresponding number of 
cells, arranged in regular series, and united in an ovoid mass. 
They form the subgenus 
Mantis proper. 
Those in which the front is prolonged into a sort of horn, and in 
which the antennz of the male are pectinated, are the Empusz of 
Illiger. The extremity of their thighs is furnished with a rounded 
membranous appendage resembling a ruffle. The margin of the 
abdomen is festooned in several(2). 
Those which have no horn on the head, and in which the antennz 
are simple in both sexes, alone compose the genus Mantis of the 
same naturalist(3). 
(1) Excellent anatomical observations on these Insects are given by M. Marcel 
de Serres in the Mem. du Mus. d’Hist. Naturelle. 
(2) Stoll., Mant., viii, 30; ix, 34, 35; x, 40; xi, 44; xii, 47, 48, 50; xvi, 58, 59; 
xvii, 61; xx, 74; xxi,79. The fig. 94, of pl. xxiv, is a larva very similar to that of 
the Mantis pauverata of Fabricius. 
(3) Generis hujus speciei Americane septentrionalis coitus spectaculum sin- 
gulare sepe exhibet, femina maris corpus in actu devorans. Rem ita esse amicus 
meus verax probavit.. Am. Ed. : 
