37 2 
BRITISH CENTRAL AFRICA 
Scrupulous cleanliness and the absence of dark holes and corners in which these 
creatures may breed generally lead to its being kept under in houses and on 
steamers. A cockroachy steamer is without excuse and indicates a careless 
and dirty captain. 
The mantises, or praying insects, offer a number of species, some of them 
very fantastic, others almost beautiful in their green colouring with large black 
and pink ocelli on the hinder pair of wings showing very plainly when the 
wings are folded. It is curious how the female mantis has taken to the conifers 
recently introduced into the country, as a tree in which to weave her egg-case. 
A STICK INSECT 
This is a heart-shaped, grey papery structure from which the young escape 
when hatched. 
An excellent idea of the weapons with which this horrible insect is endowed 
may be obtained from an article on the mantises in the Cambridge Natural 
History} As will be seen the front pair of legs is greatly developed and the 
last two segments of the limb are furnished with teeth on the inner side. 1 he 
last joint, or tibia, closes on the penultimate segment or femur, much as the 
blade of a penknife springs back on its hinge into the case, thus catching 
between the sharp teeth of tibia and femur any object which the mantis may 
wish to grasp. The insect always stands on the other four legs with these front 
1 Insects, part i. 
