MANTIS RELIGIOSA. 14/" 
MotJier, One species is reported to 
have been seen here, but so very rarely 
that the fact seems doubtful. 
Of the whole genus it is said, that 
there are sixty-four species ; many of 
them are natives of France and Italy, but 
the largest and most curious belong to 
the East Indies. 
The mantis religiosa is common in 
Languedoc, and is much revered there 
by the simple peasantry, from whom it 
has obtained the name of the pray-er ; 
Ibr, frequently resting on the hinder legs, 
it raises the fore ones, and seems to fold 
them together, as if engaged in acts of 
devotion. 
Lucy. You said, that it was also 
called soothsayer : what does that mean ? 
Mother. Sooth, in old English, is 
another word for truth, and fortunetellers 
were thence called soothsayers. Formerly 
superstitious people imagined, that this 
poor insect, by stretching out its legs, 
gave answers to their questions ; and, by 
waving them to the right or to the left, 
H 2 
