Li 
Porrs.—On a Native Species of Mantis. 115 
When about making an attack it approaches its intended prey near 
enough to secure it with a dash, its movements are sometimes slow, delibe- 
rate. It stands with its anterior limbs folded with an innocent rather than 
a menacing air, now and then raising itself or lifting the prothorax 
in a stealthy, quiet manner, as if to judge accurately of its dis- 
tance ; or the head is turned as the victim moves, and with one swift 
dart the insect is secured. In considering the manner of the manipulation 
of its food, it must be remembered that it only consumes living insects ; it 
displays remarkable coolness and positive indifference to the sufferings of 
its prey. Let us suppose it has caught a house-fly ; this is held securely on 
the teeth of one of the anterior limbs, both arms are used and brought to 
the long tearing or cutting mandibles ; it commences the feast usually by 
taking off some morsels from the head, the fly struggling, kicking or 
vibrating its wings; various parts are deliberately severed notwithstanding 
these strong protests on the part of the fly; some of the parts so cut off are 
rejected, notably wings and legs, other portions of the wretched fly are cut 
off into edible morsels. During the progress of the meal, the posterior pair 
of limbs are held rather wide apart and securely planted to resist the efforts 
of the struggling fly. The Mantis holds on steadily as it feeds, employing 
both forearms, deliberately plucking its prey away from the mandibles by a 
downward and forward action ; whilst masticating a portion taken off, the 
anterior limbs are held extended a short distance from the mouth till it is 
ready for a fresh bite, when the tearing process is repeated. It discloses 
something of the fastidiousness of the gourmét in selecting only certain 
parts of the fly for consumption, much of the carcase being neglected and 
cast away; occasionally it has considerable difficulty in ridding the teeth of 
these remains; sometimes these are cast off with a single shake of the 
limbs, or several attempts are required to effect this; so powerful are the 
efforts at times that the insect itself recoils bodily. Whilst eating, the fine 
hair-like antenne are kept nearly upright, or they are slightly moved for- 
wards and back again to-an almost vertical position ; the mandibles project 
from over the mouth; the head is moved and turned freely. In drinking, 
which is seldom indulged in, the body is bent so that its form is slightly 
curved. 
It is quite possible that so much of the body of the fly is rejected 
because it has ceased to exist under the tearing of the mandibles ; we have 
never seen the Mantis attempt to feed on a dead insect ; it may be its special 
- function to exist on living food. The posterior limbs are employed not only 
to assist in supporting the body, they act also as feelers to ascertain the 
security of a foothold or to clasp firmly a leaf or spray and thus enable the 
insect to hang downwards whilst the forearms are folded ready for action. 
