244 
year Mr. Ashmead described it as P. mantis (properly mantidis) in the 
Canadian Entomologist. 
Our object in publishing this note at this time is mainly to introduce 
Fic. 29.—Egg-cases 
of Stagmomantis 
~ carolina — natural 
size (after Riley). 
the outer envelope is comparatively thin. The 
eges all stand on end as shown by Fig. 31, 
which exhibits a cross section of one of these 
a figure of this remarkable insect in order to enable its 
ready recognition by those who rear it in the future. 
The ‘“‘ Rear Horse” or ‘‘Camel Cricket” is so common 
an insect and one which attracts such general attention 
that its commonest parasite should be known. 
We show at Fig. 30 a cross section of the egg-case 
collected by Mr. Webster in Australia, as it exhibits an 
interesting variation in the arrangement of the eggs. 
The tough, horny substance forming the outer layer of 
the case is much thicker than in our species, and the 
inner pod contains the eggs in layers and arranged con- 
centrically about a central channel, toward which the 
head end of each points, enabling each of the young 
Mantids to issue without interference with its neigh- 
bors. The egg-case, however, contains several dead 
specimens of a species of Podagrion. These in every 
case hold a reversed position, with the head away from 
the central channel, and, as evidenced by the round 
holes through the outer crust of the case, they were 
enabled by this fact to gnaw directly out through the 
erust of the inner pod and 
through the outer casing. 
With the egg-cases of our com- 
mon Stagmomantis carolina 
there is no such concentrical 
arrangement of the eggs, and 
eases. All of the eggs, however, are inclined #16. 30.—Cross section of egg- 
somewhat toward the two central channels, so _—¢ase of Australian Mantid— 
that the young, 
: slightly enlarged (original). 
on hatching, possess the same : 
free method of exit. With the parasites, however, the case is somewhat 
Fic. 31.—Cross section 
of egg-case of Stag- 
momantis carolina— 
slightly enlarged 
(original). 
complicated. The holes of exit are seen pierced 
through the sides of the egg-case just as with the 
Australian species, but, as none of the eggs have their 
bases directly toward the sides of the case, but only 
to the surface of attachment of the egg masses, the 
parasites are obliged, before gnawing their way out, to 
twist about within the narrow space to which they 
have been confined and gnaw their way through the 
envelope in what must be a cramped and disadvantageous position. 
The time of issuing of the parasites and the time when the young 
Mantides make 
their appearance seem to bear a somewhat constant 
