The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1862-04-17
A Remarkable Insect.

Look at the Mantis RsligioSa Amsricana-
the " American sootksayer." We have here
parsonage famed in legendary lore; who is
said to have conYersed with saints and children;
who mingles now in the worship of the H often
tots who adds to the pleasure and Amusement.
Of the Chinese by exhibiting his pugstic pro-
pensitiss; who is, among the Turks, consider
ed worthy of religious honors and who is
famed for possessing magic powers of some kind
wherever met with, at home or abroad. You
will not wonder at it if you study attentively
the quaint and weird creatures face. free, and
at liberty to follow her own fancy or instinct or
whatever you may call it. l am fearful that
you will think I should be bordering on the
marvellous if / should describe many scenes
such as this personage and l have passed to-
gether; but l shall plead, in return, that GU
follow my example, and see whether pou will
not say more than l shall have space to do, BY
taking one or more as companions the coming
season.
TO obtain them in perfection at the North
you can get your friends to look on the pine
rail fences enclosing corn-felds anywhere South
of New Jersey, or in the forks of the branches
of the young pine, whose resin she enjoys anna
zingly, and send you the capsule of eggs keep
it in warm, dry place, and in June, if the
weather is fine, hundreds of these creatures
will work their way from their odd-looking era
die. Out Of this host you may succeed in rails
ing five or ten, if you are very watchfu. In
the open air they would all come to maturity,
but when in confinement the stronger devour
the weaker. Feed them as freely rs you can
with flies, ants, or aphides I; any variety Of in
sectS will serve as food. They change their
skins tour times. AT the last mOulting they OBJ
tain their wings, and have reached their image
state 1t will be, if fine specimen, nearly
three inches long from the mouth to the tip of
the tail-pieces; and the wings will expand near
the same. They are longer than this in Texas
and Mexico. They will be of soft pale, sill
very apple green, all over the shades in white,
except the eyes and hooks which are very black
The abdomen is so transparent that itvares with
tie food it has been devouring; dark, if the
caetrpillars were such light color if other
wise. After the last mouting tie long thread
or silken string around the thorax where il
Joins the body place her on the cornice of the
window, or on the frame of a picture or mirror
and you will be troubled with no insects near
YOU. But you must watch that SIZE CoeS not
starve, by placing near her catterpillars, young
grasshoppers, and the like If you take little
pains you can soon approach her. and hold an
insect or piece Of raw pigeon flesh, and she
will come and take it.
Queen Bess' of famous memory, would
alight on my shoulder and take all her food
from me half dozen times day. When she
omitted her visit, knew she had been hunting
on her own account. All night long she would
keep watch and guard under the musquito net.
The silk was fastened to the post OF the bed,
and woe betiGe an unfortunate musquito who
fancied for his supper drop of claret. 1t liz
the drollest, the most laughter moving sensa-
ton, to feel one of these trumpeters slanting
your nose OF forehead, and hear Queen Bess"
approaching with those long claws, creeping
slowly. SOFTLY nearer and nearer; TO feel the
fine prick of the lancet setting in for tlpple;
tben you would suppose dozen fine needles
had been suddenly drawn across the part then,
presto "Bess " strong, saber-like claws had
the jolly trumpeter tucked into her capacious
jaws before you could open your eyes to ascer
tain the state of affairs.
These creatures very seldom fly far, but walk
in mos stately and digDifod manner. Queen
Bess'' could not bear to be overlooked Or slight
ed and 50 as she saw me bending over
the magnifer with an insect, and thought she
was ten yards off, the insect would be inconti-
nently snapped out of my fingers. Many val
liable specimen disappeared in this way. l
learned to put her at these times in the sound
ing-board of an A1oian harp, which was gene
rally placed in the window. Her majesty liked
mnsic of this kind amazingly, as the vibration
was elt though not heard presume she fan
ciad she was serenaded by the singing leaves
Of the forest. | knew she would have remained
there spelI-bound until driven forth by hunger,
if did not remove her when was not afraid
Of her company.-Harpers Monthly.