Potts. — 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 pan.' 

 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 gourmet 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 antennas 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. 



