564 
TIIE TROPICAL 
AGRiCULTtRISt. 
[I^EB. 2, 1903. 
Insects.— In common with other animals— may be 
broadly divided into two groups, — Carnivorous and 
Herbivorous. The carnivorous insects may again be 
divided into those that prey upon living animals, and 
those that feed upon dead animal matter, The first of 
these divisions may be further subdivided into Preda- 
tory and Parasitic forms. It is with some examples of 
the fiirst of these, subdivisions that I shall concern 
myself tonight. And, more particularly, with such as 
have special organs of prehension for the capture of 
their prey. As typical examples of such insects, we 
may take the various species of Mantidae. 1 have here 
a slide showing a representative, but by no means 
complete, group of these insects. In several of them 
yea can see the specialised front legs that will be 
described in detail presently. You will see that they 
vary considerably in size, — from this small species 
which is only three quarters of an inch in actual length 
to this elongated species that measures live inches 
from anout to tail. Our knowledge of the names of 
the various Ceylonese Mantidae is very incomplete. 
So I can refer specifically to a few only. This one, 
with the ocellated spots on its front wings, is called 
Creobroier pictipennis. It is really 
A VERY PRETTY LITTLE FELLOAY, 
Its front wings are bright green with a gamboge- 
coloured eye-spot picked out in black. Its hind wicga 
are delicately shaded with purplish grey. This bizarre- 
looking creature that appears to have bits of leaves 
attached to its elbows and knees rejoices in the appal- 
ling name of Gongylus cjongyloides- The insect seems 
to be compounded of bits of twigs and fragments of 
leaves. But they are all really parts of its body. It 
is usually of a yellowish green colour, though indivi- 
duals of a yellowish-brown tint are not uncommon. 
This form and colouration, while protecting the insect 
from the attacks of its enemies (birds, lizards, &c.), 
stands it in good stead in its own hunting operations. 
The term " hunting " is however scarcely applicable; 
for the Mantidse do not usually chase their prey, but 
stationing themselves in some suitable situation, often 
near some tempting flower or fruit, they remain per- 
fectly motionless but wide awake, awaiting the 
advent of some passing insect. The Oongylus takes 
advantage of its resemblance to foliage by establish- 
ing itself at the end of the spray of some plant — 
frequently close to a flower. From thence it snatches 
butterflies and .other winged insects. I have actually 
seen one of these Mantises catch a butterfly on the 
wing, as it was hovering over the flower. The under- 
Burface of the expanded portion just behind the insects 
head is coloured a delicate pink, and may perhaps itself 
be mistaken for part of a flower, — a most fatal mis- 
take for the insect that makes it. Observe this slender 
part between the head and the abdomen. The food 
must be bitten very small to allow of its passage 
down such pipe-stem waist. 
THE "PRAYING MANTIS " 
{Mantis reUgiosa) is so-called from the devotional 
attitude that it assumes, its arms doubled and held up 
in front of face. Needless to say, its mental attitude is 
by no means devotional. As one writer has punningly 
remnrked, instead of saying " Let us pray " (pray), it 
is more probably murmuring "Let us prey " (prey). 
Another remarkable form of Mantis is the Cliaeradodis 
squilla which carries a green sunshade over its head. 
Not that it anticipates a sunstroke. The green shield 
is more probably for the purpose of disguise,— to 
make it look more rustic and innocent. The Mantis 
is one of the most rapacious and callous of insects. 
It will seize a grasshopper or any unwary insect 
that comes within its reach and — ignoring its straggles 
will calmly eat off all the outlying portions before 
attacking the vital parts of its victim. It may possibly 
occasionally pick up some higher game, such as an 
infantile lizard or frog. I have vivid recollection of 
a tragedy that occurred in a vivarium in which I had 
a happy family consisting of several specif of lizards 
and frogs. I rashly introduced a Mantis, one day, 
Jbioking thftt it would support itself on the flies ancl 
other small insects that were supplied for the other 
occupants. Next morning the cleaned skeleton of 
what had been a small green tree-frog testified to the 
dangerous nature of the newcomer, which was promptly 
removed and placed on a creeper in the verandah, 
where it afterwards itself fell a victim, being caught 
and devoured by a large green lizard. And now we must 
examine the special weapon v.'ith which the Mantis is 
provided. I have here a slide showiug the front limbs 
of a small species. You will notice how well they are 
adapted for their purpose,— to seize and hold a strug- 
gling insect. The leg is divided into the usual parts. 
The greatly thickened portion is the femur — or thigh. 
The thickening is to strengthen the parts and to give 
attachment to the powerful muscles required for the 
gripping action. Its inner e^ge is armed with stout 
spines, like the teeth of a steel rat-trap. The other jaw 
of the trap is represented by the tibia or shin. It also 
has a double row of spines which interlock with those 
of the femur, and it terminates in a stout claw. The 
foot proper is represented by these small terminal 
joints which are usually turned back to be out of the 
way. They are not of much importance to the insect 
and are frequently missing, having been lost perhaps 
in a fight with a neighbour, — or perhaps accidentally 
eaten by the insect itself, which seems to get along 
very comfortably without them. This is what is 
called the raptorial type of leg. The other legs of 
the Mantis have homologous part , but they are 
slender and adapted only to walking. The Mantis is 
predatory throughout its whole life. The baby Mantis 
when first hatched from the egg, is possessed of these 
specialized front legs and knows how to use them. 
This slide shows a young Oonguhcs as it appears when 
it first steps out into the world. This same raptorial 
form of front leg occurs in a number of difierent 
insects, — often in widely separated families. The 
Mantidae — just noticed — belong to the family Orthop- 
tera, which include the herbivorcus Leaf and Stick 
insects : the Locusts, Grasshoppers and Crickets : 
and the Cockroaches. It appears also in the Bag 
family (Bemiptem), the Net-winged family (Neurop- 
tera) and amongst the 2-winged flies {Diptera). 
As examples of Hemipteva possessing 
RAPTORIAL LEGS, 
may be mentioned the Emesa, which looks like a 
very thin stick-insect, a veritable skeleton dude, and 
an allied genus, Floiaria, which simulates a small 
"Daddy-long-legs" (Tipula^, These little bugs capture 
their prey in the same manner as do the Mantidae ; 
but, while the latter have biting jaws and tear 
their food to pieces, the bugs have a sharp beak 
constructed for sucking, and absorb the juices only 
■of their victims. There are also aquatic bugs, 
Eanatara (sometimes called the ^' water-mantis"), 
the water-scorpion (Nepa), and the giant 
water-bug (Belostmna). This last insect is com- 
mon in the Kandy lake, and probably in Colombo 
also. It measures nearly three-and-a-half inches 
in length and is proportionately stout. It preys 
upon small fish, frogs and tadpoles, as well as upon 
beetles and other terrestrial insects that tumble into 
the water, gripping them with its strong front legs 
a,nd driving its cruel beak into their flesh. I have 
kept them alive in an aquarium for several months 
at a time, feeding them upon beetles, grasshoppers 
and cockroaches, the latter insects being especially 
appreciated. They have well-developed wings 
and frequently leave the water at night for 
a short flight. At such times they are often at- 
tracted by the electric lamps, and may be picked 
up in the road in a dazed condition. Iq the 
family Neuroptera, we have the Mantispa, show- 
ing the same form of raptorial limb. As .its name 
implies, it resembles the li'fantis in form and habits: 
but differs widely from that insect in the nature of 
its development. A young Mantis is merely a dimin- 
utive edition of the adult insect minus its wings. But 
a young Mantispa undergoes a grub stage, and a 
].-emarkable grub stage too, for it-nndergoes wba^ 
