152 The Queensland Naturalist. Vol. I. 
position, and on 25th the nest was completely formed, 
lacking only the lining. From the 25th to 27th inst., the 
birds were seldom to be seen. During the 28th inst., 
however, they were back again to their work, singing fre- 
quently in a most enchanting manner and completing the 
lining of their nest. On the 1st October a single egg was 
laid, and one each on the two folloAving days. Between 
these dates and the 19th incubation was pursued when 
two of the eggs hatched, the third ‘‘ cantator ” coming forth 
on the night of 19th- 20th October. Unfortunately both 
nest and young now received the attention of the intro- 
duced sx>arrows that destroyed one and the other. 
A PECULIAR HABIT DISPLAYED BY THE MANTIS. 
Archimantis latistylus (Serville). 
By Horace Brown. 
The observation that formed the subject of a 
verbal communication through H. .Tyron related to the 
interesting manner in which the insect performed its toilet, 
even wheii stationary in its captor’s hand, and that was 
suggestive of some of the acts subserving the same purpose 
displayed by the domestic cat. For example, it would hold 
its antenna alternately by meaiis of the tibia and femora 
of the foreleg, closed one against the other, and then pass 
it joint by joint under the action of its mandibles and 
maxillae, and so with other parts. And in other respects, 
the insect formed an interesting “pet” ; engaging in various 
curious operations without evidence of terror. It also 
was remarkakle for the site chosen by it for containing its 
“ Ootheca ” or “ Egg Mass.” Ordinarily our larger Mantidse, 
amongst which it might be included, attached these curious 
objects to the more slender branches of trees or bushes, 
usually selecting ones alreadv dead. The Archimantis, 
however, resorted to the ground for the purpose cf^ building 
the Ootheca— of the ordinary spume— in some crevice m the 
hard soil, e.g., amongst stones embedded therein, the sub- 
stance of this being of a honey-yellow colour and externally 
brown, whereby its conceeJment was better effected. Mr. 
Brown’s observations were made at One Tree Hill (Mt. 
Coo-tha), near Brisbane, In the same situation a very 
youthful student of Nature (Master Tiegs) had observed 
an Archimantis latystylus with its hind-body partly inserted 
in a crevice in the top of an old post-hole, and on lemoving 
it had found that it already nearly completed its egg-mass 
that it had elected to place in this situation. — H.T. 
