116 Transactions. — Zoology. 



It will attack any small moving thing that it is likely to be able to hold, 

 such as flies, moths, spiders, etc., we have often seen it with a fly in the 

 teeth of each anterior limb ; young of its own kind are devoured as readily 

 as any other food. Its appetite is at times voracious, as we have seen it kill 

 and devour parts of fourteen small flies within a very brief space of time ; 

 it can pick a small spider from off its web with singular dexterity. "With 

 all its cruelty or ferocity it is timid, retiring from the contact of anything 

 that touches it suddenly ; often it retreats before the boisterous blue-bottle- 

 fly. The house-fly is a favourite prey ; in pursuit it steadily traverses the 

 smooth surface of window-panes, the structure of the feet allowing it to pass 

 over the lower surface of glass at almost any angle. We have kept many 

 of these insects in a room where they seldom left the windows during the 

 daytime, getting their own food in ample supply. It is worth noticing that 

 flies often approach this terrible enemy as though heedless of its presence, 

 or in some way fascinated by its appearance. When climbing an upright 

 branch the ascent is made in a spiral direction, sometimes all the limbs are 

 used in climbing ; should a couple meet suddenly, they at times spar at 

 each other, but as far as we have observed these hostile movements have 

 been unattended by the infliction of any damage. 



At the time of its periodical moults it is dull and listless, not caring for 

 food. The casting of the skin, which takes place at intervals during the 

 larval state, is accomplished by throwing itself on the back, when with 

 numberless struggles it wriggles out of its old covering. Gradually the 

 figure of the insect widens and the rudiments of the future wing-processes 

 are developed, these make marked progress after each moult. The cast 

 coverings are discarded in one piece generally, showing the form of the 

 antennae, of the claws, of the teeth of anterior limbs, etc. 



The sexes may be distinguished by a slight difference of form, that of 

 the male is the more slender, the antennae are more produced ; in the 

 perfect insect the wings of the female are not so long in proportion to the 

 rest of the body as those of the male. The perfect insect exhibits also 

 some difference of colouration, the bright light green gives place to a duller 

 tone, the edges of the keeled sides of the prothorax assume a dull amethys- 

 tine tint, a deeper tinge of a similar hue stains the limbs in various parts, 

 the teeth of the forearms being thus coloured; the blue spot around the 

 auditory organs is very noticeable. 



It is particular in cleaning and dressing the head ; the action of the fore- 

 limb as used for this purpose, at once reminds one of the manner in which 

 a cat passes its paw over ears and eyes. 



The perfect insect does not, except on occasions, walk so nearly erect as 

 in the larval state ; it seldom uses its wings or only for a brief flight, we 

 have but rarely seen it make a flying dart at its prey. Its colour harmonizes 



