848 KB. HXLacm anxaxdale ox the [Dec. 4, 



ihis fruit are said to be commonly grown, differing from one 

 another in shape, size, colour, and even smell ; and it is often the 

 case that in two villages separated by only a few miles the pre- 

 dominant variety of banana is different. The introduction of a 

 foreign weed such as the " Putri J/«?m." or Shy Princess (Mimosa 

 pudica), among the teeming insect population of a tropical clearing 

 must have some direct effect upon the life therein, and indirectly 

 must influence all the surrounding country. This plant has 

 appeared in the Peninsula since the arrival of the white man, its 

 natural home being South America ; and has succeeded in 

 becoming one of the commonest and most noxious weeds in the 

 country, even in the districts to which the white man himself has 

 not yet penetrated. 



III. AxoTHEIt HaRPAGIU PlI'A. 



Colour. — Head : pink, eyes and mandibles black. Antenna? 

 black. 



Thorax : prothorax. which is broad and slightly flattened, dull 

 pink, striped transversely with dingy white and pale green, and 

 edged with black. (There is no bar on the posterior edge of the 

 prothorax as there was in the other form.) Posterior region of 

 thorax dull pink. Rudimentary wings dingy white, with a pale 

 green band at the base of each. 



Abdomen : pale pink, ringed with pale green, dingy white, and 

 black. The green and black rings did not completely encircle the 

 body, but were interrupted in the mid-ventral line by a number 

 of prominences, one to each segment, of pale pink. At the 

 extreme point of the abdomen, surrounding the anus, was a black 

 spot, not so large or so prominent as the one on the corresponding 

 position in Hymmopm bicormt, but still conspicuous. 



Limbs: all the limbs were ringed with bands of dingy white, 

 pink, and green, which completely surrounded them, including 

 the expansions on the femora of the 2nd and 3rd pairs. The 

 spines on the predatory limbs were some of them green and some 

 black. The black spines predominated towards the distal 

 extremities. 



This Mantis had none of the flowery sheen of the other, and 

 the lappets on the 2nd and 3rd limbs are small, rounded, and in 

 nowise petal-like. The flowers with which it was found associated 

 were of a deep cream-colour. Their buds and leaves were con- 

 siderably darker than the green markings on the insect's body. 



Habits and Attitude. — Unfortunately I was unable to observe 

 this species in a state of nature, but I have no doubt that its 

 habits are very similar to those of the Kanchong. The natural 

 attitude of the two species is precisely the same, and though they 

 adopt different methods of concealing themselves, they were both 

 found hidden among flowers, presumably for the same purpose — 

 that of obtaining their food. The common possession of a black 

 tip to the abdomen is interesting. A single specimen of the 

 striped Mantis was brought me on August 19th, by Mr. E. H. Yapp, 



