232 MR. E. SHELFOED ON MIMETIC IXSECTS AND [Nov. 4, 



Harpagicl Mantidse, mimic the young larvse of the Reduviid bug, 

 JEtdyes amoena, not only in coloration, but also in the peculiar 

 habit of walking about with the abdomen curled over the back 

 (compare figs. 16 & 17). When the young Mantides first emerge 

 from the ootheca they are of a brilliant red colour, the head, basal 

 joint of the antennas, apices of the femora, and the tibife alone 

 being jet-black. A similar arrangement of colours is exhibited 

 by the young of E. amoena : in these the head, apices of the 

 femora, bases of the tibiae, the wing- rudiments, and some spots on 

 the dorsal surface of the abdomen are black, whilst all the rest 

 is vermilion (compare figs. 18 & 19). The newly- hatched larvse 

 of the bug are very much smaller than the corresponding stage 

 of the Mantis, but after the second moult the size of the 

 former is almost the same as that of their mimics when newly- 

 hatched. The brilliant coloration of the bug is essentially a 

 warning signal, being correlated with an objectionable smell and 

 presumably a still more objectionable taste, judging from the 

 expressions of disgust manifested by two tame monkeys [Macaciis 

 cynomolgiLs) after tasting the specimens I ofiered them. The 

 young Hymenopus they had eaten with the utmost sangfroid 

 a few days before, from which one may justly conclude that in 

 this case the coloration is deceptively warning or j)seudapose- 

 matic (truly mimetic). It is unfortunate that I was unable to rear, 

 or even to keep alive for a few days longer, the young Mantides ; 

 but they are notoriously difiicult insects to rear, and all my speci- 

 mens died befoi-e I was able to obtain the young of Eidyes amcena. 

 The pupa and adult of this species of Mantis are floral simulators : 

 the former resembles a pink Melastoma ; the latter, which is 

 cream-coloured varied with brown, resembles the flower of an 

 orchid of fairly common occurrence ; and I have also seen a young 

 larva which bore a striking resemblance to a small pink flower of 

 an order not known to me. I have had this insect in various 

 stages of its life-history frequently under observation, and can 

 confirm in almost every detail Mr. Annandale's recently pub- 

 lished account of the habits of the pupa (c/. P. Z. S. 1900, pp. 839 

 et seq.). That the insect should mimic in the youngest stage of 

 its life-history a distasteful and conspicuously-coloured bug is a 

 fact of some interest. 



[The late Mr. L. de ISTiceville states, in a letter to Prof. Poulton, 

 that he had I'eared some species of Mantidse ; one species when 

 newly hatched was remarkably like a small i)lack ant, the de- 

 ceptive resemblance being so close that a careful scrutiny was 

 necessary to determine the exact nature of the insect. Mr. de 

 Mceville also remarks: — "A Mantis of fair size does not often 

 move but waits for its prey to come to it, but these young ones 

 ran about incessantly looking for their prey, just like the ants 

 they mimicked."] 



