The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-12-01
The Praying Mantis.

Perhaps the most singular of the etomolopi-
cal wonders with which the investigation of
Natural History has made us acquainted, is
the "Praying Mantis" of Brazil, popularity
known in all the regions he inhabts as The
Walking Leqf-named thus undoubtedly,
from his almost exact resemblance to the dry,
dead, brown of the peach or olive tree. -
I have never seen specimen Mantis in any
chronological collection, or found him classed
in any work upon Natural History. Indeed,
the only mention that have seen made of the
insect, was an imperfect, incorrect sketch In a
number.of the London Mirror, printed in the
year 1926. i.aai-aai., h i..f 4 -
Practically, it is of very little Importance,
probably, whether the Mantis is ever recorded
and classed, or not; but, as curiosity, the in
sect is worth glance, and SO present him in
q small way, something as found him in
Brazil. h9a~e
1t is only in particular districts in the interi-
or of the country that the Mantis is found, and
only at intervals that they are seen in any great
numbers at one time But there are instances
when they literally fill the air, and cover the
surface of the earth, over considerable terri
tory, like flight of Arabian locusts. .al -
These occasions are the war times1of the
Mantis; for they are a beligerent race,pitching
their battles in vast array, charging upon each
other always in the air, at an elevation from
five to fifteen feet above the surface; slashing
at their antagonists like cavalrymen, with their
long sabre-shaped legs, and fighting out their
feud with inconceiyable fury, covering, often
times, the surface Of the ground with the slain.
There are no wounded, for Mantis soldier
always slashes to kill. snsi ,lsa2 osl6
They are cannibals, too-these shrivelled,
dricd-up savages, and when the battle is ended,
the victors fall to upon the slain, deyouring
them so long as carcass remains. Not much
of a meal, even for a Mantis, you would sup
pose-one of these Ualking leaves; considering
that although he is two and a half inches in
length, and nearly an inch deep, vertically with
wings closed, body and all, he is scarcely the
sixteenth part of an inch in thickness, semi
transparent, and not a thousandth part of q
drop ofblood or any kind ofmoisture, in mil
lion of them. 30 =. - .,..-...
The Mantis is a quiet, harmless fellow as far
as humanity is concerned. There is no ven
ON in him, he never bites; hor does he in any
instance, ever prey upon vegetables, as the To-
Gust and grasshOpper does. ,rs..5.lfI J,
= Taking Mantis in the palm Of the hand,
you will see him directly sit himself upon end
very much like dog, or rather as dog does
toss back behind him his long, slender atten e,
raise one of his singular, sabre-shaped fore
legs, and continue to point steadily in one di-
rection with it as long as you hold him in your
hand. When Brazilian carnpaniero becomes
lost In the sierra, he takes Mantis in his
hand, notes the direction in which he points,
and follows it home. He claims that the
q Walking Leaf never misleads him. This of
course is a foolish superstition, but the Mantis
is certainly very sagaci0us, as well as most
singular neutrality-suspicious. Phil Post.