MANTIS. 87 



insect is generally seen in a sitting posture, with 

 the two fore-legs raised and closed together, 

 which gives it such a praying attitude, that the 

 Eastern devotees will not suffer it to be dis- 

 turbed. The Turks are said to believe that 

 they stand with their heads towards Mecca, 

 and move their hands in prayer to Mahomet. 



These insects are so quarrelsome, and have 

 such a disposition to destroy each other, that 

 the Chinese keep them in bamboo cages, and 

 make them fight for their amusement. In the 

 event of a battle, the conqueror, without scru- 

 ple, devours his antagonist. 



The female lays a considerable number of 

 long yellow eggs, which she generally fixes to 

 the stem of some plant, and covers them with 

 a glutinous secretion, which in drying forms a 

 tough coriaceous nidus. 



SPECIFICATION. 



Mantis keligiosa. M. thorace laevi subcarinato, 

 elytris viridibus immaculatis. Linn.Sj/st. Nat. 1. 

 p. 690. Gmel. 1. p. 2050. Fabr. Spec. Ins. i. 

 p. 348. Ent. Syst. 2. p. 20. No. 30 /3. 

 I 2 



