2;0 THE ORATOR MANTIS. 



Roesc], wishing to observe the gradual progress 

 of these creatures to the winged state, placed the 

 bag containing the eggs in a large glass, which he 

 closed, to prevent their escape. From the time they 

 were first hatched they exhibited marks of a savage 

 disposition. He put different sorts of plants into 

 the glass, but they refused them to prey on one 

 another. This determined him to supply them 

 with insect food. He put several ants into the glass 

 to them, but they then betrayed as much cowardice 

 as they had before done of barbarity ; for the instant 

 the Mantes saw the ants they attempted to escape 

 in every direction. This was evidently an instinctive 

 fear of a natural enemy. He next gave them some 

 of the common house-flies, which they seized with 

 eagerness in their fore-claws, and tore in pieces. 

 But, notwithstanding their apparent fondness of 

 flies, they continued to destroy each other through 

 savage wantonness. Despairing at last, from their 

 daily decrease, of rearing any to the winged state, 

 he separated them into small parcels in different 

 glasses ; but here, as before, the strongest of each 

 community destroyed the rest. 



He afterwards received several pair of Mantes in 

 the winged state : profiting by his former observa- 

 tions, he now separated them, a male and a female 

 together into different glasses, but they still exhibited 

 signs of a rooted enmity to each other, which neither 

 age nor sex could soften. The instant they were in 

 Bight of each other they threw up their heads, bran- 

 dished their fore legs, and each waited an attack. 

 They did not long remain in this posture, for the 



