FHE OfcATOR. MANTfS. tfi 



boldest, throwing open his wings with the velocity 

 of lightning, rushed at the other, and often tore it 

 in pieces. Roesel compares the attack of these 

 creatures to that of two hussars : for they dex- 

 terously guard and cut with the edge of the fore 

 claws as those soldiers do with sabres, and some- 

 times at a stroke one of them cleaves the other 

 through, or severs its head from the thorax. After 

 this the conqueror always devours his vanquished 

 antagonist. 



The patience of the Mantis in waiting for his 

 prey, is remarkable, and the posture to wmich super-* 

 stition has attributed devotion is no other than the 

 means it uses to catch it. When it has fixed its 

 eyes on an insect, it very rarely loses sight of it, 

 though it may cost some hours to take it. If it sees 

 an insect a little beyond its reach, over its head„ 

 it slowly erects its long thorax, by means of the 

 moveable membranes that connect it to the body ; 

 then, resting on the posterior legs, it gradually 

 raises the anterior part also. If this brings it near 

 enough to the insect, it throws open the last joint of 

 its fore paws, and snaps it between the spines that 

 are set in rows on the second joint. If it is unsuc- 

 cessful it does not retract its paws, but holds them 

 stretched out, and waits again till the insect is within 

 its reach, when it springs up and seizes it. Should 

 the insect go far from the spot, it flies or crawls after 

 it slowly on the ground like a cat .; and, when the 

 insect stops, erects itself as before. 



These Mantes have a small black pupil or sight, 

 which moves in all directions within the parts that 



