428 The Blister Beetles. 
217) is a sort of nondescript. In the South it is known as 
devil’s race-horse. It is acorpulent “ walking-stick” with 
wings. In fact is closely related to our own “walking- 
sticks” of the North. Its anterior legs are very curious. 
As it rests upon them, it appears as if in the attitude of de- 
votion, hence the name praying mantis. It also raises these 
anterior legs in a supplicating attitude, which would also 
Fic. 217. 
suggest the name. It might well be preying mantis. These 
peculiar anterior legs, like the same in Phymata erosa, are 
used to grasp its victims. Itis reported to move with sur- 
prising rapidity,'as it grasps its prey. 
Its eggs (Fig. 218) are glued to some twig, in a scale- 
like mass, and covered with a sort of varnish. Some of 
Fic. 218. 
these hatched out in one of my boxes, and the depravity 
of these insects was manifest in the fact that those first 
hatched fell to and ate the others. 
7 BLISTER BEETLES. 
I have received from Mr. Rainbow, of Fall Brook, Cal- 
ifornia, the larve (Fig. 219, @) of some blisier beetles, 
