Cockroaches, Locusts, Grasshoppers, and Crickets i 31 
plications to their Gods.” And he says again: “They resemble the Diviners 
in the elevation of their hands, so also in likeness of motion; for they do not 
sport themselves as others do, nor leap, nor play, but walking softly, they 
retain their modesty, and shewes forth a kind of mature gravity. ... So 
divine a creature is this esteemed, that if a childe aske the way to such a 
place, she will stretch out one of her feet, and shew him the right way, and 
seldome or never misse.” Piso in his works states that mantids “change into 
a green and tender plant, which is of two 
hands’ breadth. The feet are fixed into 
the ground first; from these, when neces¬ 
sary, humidity is attracted, roots grow out 
and strike into the ground; thus they 
change by degrees, and in a short time 
become a perfect plant.” 
Almost everywhere that mantids occur, 
strange superstitions are held concerning 
them. Most of these ascribe some degree 
of sanctity to them, and to kill them 
maliciously is considered sinful. Cowan 
says that “the Turks, and other Moslems 
have been much impressed by the actions 
of the common Mantis religiosa , which 
greatly resemble some of their own attitudes 
of prayer. They readily recognize intelli¬ 
gence and pious intentions in its actions, 
and accordingly treat it with respect and 
attention, not indeed as in itself an object 
of reverence or superstition, but as a fel¬ 
low worshipper of God, whom they believe 
that all creatures praise with more or less 
consciousness and intelligence. Other su¬ 
perstitions with respect to the Mantis are 
current: when it kneels it sees an angel 
in the way, or hears the rustle of its wings; 
when it alights on your hand you are about 
to make the acquaintance of a distin¬ 
guished person; if if alights on your head, 
a great honor will shortly be conferred Fig - i6 4 -—The walking-stick, Diaphe - 
upon you. If it injures you in any way, romem femorata * 
which it does but seldom, you will lose a valued friend by calumny. Never 
kill a Mantis, as it bears charm against evil.” Finally, monkish legends 
tell us, says Slingerland, that St. Francis Xavier, seeing a Mantis moving 
