THE GRASSHOPPER'S COUSINS 



chance arrival of the next 

 course in his ever unfinished 

 banquet of living fare. 



Some exotic species of 

 mantids have the sides of 

 the prothorax extended to 

 form a wide shield (Fig. 47), 

 beneath which the forelegs 

 are folded and completely 

 hidden. It is not clear what 

 advantage they derive from 

 this device, but it seems to 

 be one more expression of 

 deceit. 



Of course, as we shall 

 take occasion to observe 

 later, goodness and bad- 

 ness are largely matters of 

 relativity. 



Fig. 47. A mantis from Ecuador with 



a shieldlike extension of its back. 



(Length y/i inches) 



Fig. 48. Egg case of a 



mantis attached to a 



twig, Stagmomantis 



Carolina 



The mantis is an evil creature from the 

 standpoint of a grasshopper, but he 

 would be regarded as a benefactor by 

 those who have a grudge against grass- 

 hoppers or against other insects that the 

 mantis destroys. Hence, we must reckon 

 the mantis as at least a beneficial insect 

 relative to human welfare. A large 

 species of mantis, introduced a few years 

 ago into the eastern States from China, 

 is now regarded as a valuable agricul- 

 tural asset because of the number of 

 harmful insects it destroys. 



The mantids lay their eggs in large 

 cases stuck to the twigs of trees (Fig. 48). 

 The substance of which the case is made 

 is similar to that with which the locusts 

 inclose their eggs, and is exuded from the 



[75] 



