OF THE UNITED STATES 



51 



people of that country, while the Hottentots about worship a lo- 

 cal species found in the land inhabited by that race, and they 

 look for no better omen of good fortune than to have a Mantis 

 alight upon them. It indicates a token of saintliuess. Even the 

 priesthood have not been above the promulgation of similar 

 myths, for they say of St. Francis Xavier that a Mantis once 

 lightiug upon his hand, he commanded it to sing the praises of 

 God, whereupon the dutiful insect loudly intoned a very beauti- 

 ful canticle. 



An old writer at my hand says, "The warlike disposition of the 

 Mantis is put to a curious use in China, these insects being kept 

 in bamboo cages for prize fights, like fighting cocks. At these 

 exhibitions two of them are placed face to face; they raise their 

 wings, their bodies tremble, and with the utmost fury they rush 

 upon each other. They use their long forelegs like sabers, giving 

 blow upon blow; sometimes the fight lasts several minutes. The 

 victor then devours his enemy, which, all things considered, is a 

 much more rational termination of a duel than is common among 

 men. Were it introduced into the human code of honor, and the 

 victor required to eat his victim, it would greatly tend to do 

 away with one of our fashionable barbarisms." 



On a number of occasions the present writer has tried this ex- 

 periment with our United States species, and they will fight in 

 exactly the same manner, the victor generally biting off the head 

 of the slain one, and devouring a portion of the softer parts of 

 his body. 



If the reader will look at my drawing, he will see that, of the 

 usual three pairs of legs possessed by the Mantis, in common 

 with such a large proportion of the Class Insects, the two hinder 

 pairs present us with nothing very unusual. The anterior pair, 

 however, are very much modified, and in such a manner as to 

 constitute a very cruel pair of weapons. The second joint is so 

 fashioned that it can close into the third, after the manner of the 

 blade of a penknife into the handle. The margins of the receiv- 

 ing groove of the third joint are armed with strong, movable 

 spines. The tibial or blade joint also has a sharp serrated edge, 

 being adapted to both cut and grasp with. A Mantis can extend 

 and strike with one of these limbs as quick as a flash of lightning, 

 and woe betide the unfortunate creature that comes within his 

 murderous clutch, for his fate is sealed beyond all peradventure 

 of a doubt. 



