The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1890-12-28
THE PRAYING MANTls.
Warlike Insoot Regarded by Many with
SuporstItIous Awe.


A Warlike Insoot Regarded by Many with
Superstitious Awe.
The mantid@ 1.-TWO specimens Of which
have just been added to the insect
house at the Geological Gardens) are
noticeable not only for their structural
peculiarities, but also for tho fact that
they are living and walking opponents
OF She truth that the world is governed
by appearances, as from very Anoiont
times whorever they are found-that is
throughout tho warmer regions Of the
world-they have been credited with
piety. mcekness and all good qualities.
whereas in truth thoy are tho most
bloodthirsty creatures Imaginable. This
extremoly mistaken estima to of tloir
character has arisen from tho fact that
especially as thoy move slowly about,
tho thoraX is raised at an anglo to tho
body, and tho large raptorial legs are
carrion extended and raiscd-thus fan
cifully initiating, or rather carioatur-
ing, person whose hands arc clasped
in prayer.
In many parts OF tho world thoy arc
still regarded with supcrstitious rover
once, and extraordinary stories arc told
OF thom. For example, they arc believed
to bc able to Indicate coming evcnts.
whence thoir names Of ''soothsayors"
or prophets" and in the south of Europe
tho praying mantis is supposed to direct
any lost wayfarcr, especially a child,
into the right way. Another legend is
to tho effect that ''St Francis Xavier,
on seeing mantis moving slowly along
with his forelegs raised as if in dovo-
ton, desired it to sing tho praises of
Gcd. which it Immediately did in q very
beautiful canticle." Again. wo arc told
that among tho 1iottentots "tho indi-
vidual upon whom one happens to alight
is supposed to have peculiar degroo Of
sanctity impaired to him, and to
he special favorite of Heaven
All this reverence is sorely mis-
placed, tho whole of tho creatures
life being spent in murder and
rapino; for being "fcrce, cruel,
gormandizing wrctches, so far from in
dulging, as has boon fondly supposed,
in "a state of religious abstraction, thcy
are continually seeking what thoy may
devonr," and tho worry position which
has given thcm q reputation for sanctity
is only assumed to cnablo them the more
readily TO seize any unfortunate insect
that may como within their reach; and
thoy are by no means particular what
that insect may DO, as thoy will with
the greatest readiness seize and dcvour
ono of their own species, particularly if
smaller and weaker than themselves
1t is, therefore, not surprising that
they arc most pugnacious, and indulge
i'll tho iicrcest encounters on the least
possible provocation-or, indeed, with
out any apparent provocation at all
when ''thcir mancuvcrs very much re-
semblo those of hussars fighting with
sabers, and sometimes one clcavcs tho
other through at single stroke, or
sewers tho head from tho body During
these engagements tho wings arc gen
orally extended, and when tho battle is
over the conqueror dcvours his antag-
onist The performance is curious and
amusing. tho peculiar shape and car
rage OF tho insects giving them the APP
pearancc of dancing with one another.
In China and tho East wo arc told that
they AFRO fought like gamo-cocks for
wagcrs. Tho following extract from
the work of an American authority says
much for their power OF endurance:
'We have sccn female decapitated,
and with her body partly eaten, slip
away from another that was dovouring
her, and for over an hour afterward
fight as tonaciously and with as much
nonchalanco as though nothing had
happened" 1t is, perhaps needless to
say, tho character Of tho mantidn be-
ing such as it is, that tho two speci-
mems at the Zoo arc not confined in tho
same case. as, wero thoy placed to-
gether, tho society would in all proba-
bility very shortly possess but one
Saturday Rovicw.