294 



THE ZOOLOGIST. 



is sometimes so strongly dilated as to show the black inter- 

 segmental membranes. The butterfly is seized with a sudden 

 snatch, and the Mantis nearly always commences operations by 

 biting through the costal nervures of the fore wings near their 

 origin ; if, however, the prey has not been seized in a position 

 favourable for this method of attack, the Mantis bites into the 

 chest so as to sever the wing-muscles. A large Ornithoptera, 

 when first seized, will dash its attacker with great violence 

 against the sides of the cage in its mad struggles for freedom, 



Fig. 1.- 



-Bhombodera basalis, De Haan ; cleaning its left ruid-legjafter 

 a meal. 



but I have never yet seen a Mantis relax its hold ; on the con- 

 trary, it will with much persistence literally burrow its way into 

 the thorax of the butterfly until the flutterings become weaker 

 and weaker, as one by one the wing-muscles are severed. If the 

 butterfly is one of the weak Satyrince or a small Nymphaline, the 

 Mantis commences its meal on any part that comes handy — the 

 head, the abdomen, or perhaps the legs ; but strong-flying species 

 are always attacked, so far as my observations go, in the way 

 described, and as often as I have witnessed it, I have been irre- 



