The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-10-11
GAMIEsT OF INSECTS.
1t Ii the Mantis OF Argentina, and
Fights to the Death

Here is one of my pets" said a nat
uraiist. and he held out 10 me a branch
Of tree almost denuded Of leaves, writes
c. r. Holder. Those which were s,ill
clinging to it were dried and shrivelei
l looked earnestly. following up the twigs
one by one, then examining the leaves.
bur failed 10 discover the pet.
The very fact that you can not find
II" said the naturalist, smiling at my
confusion. adds 10 IT'S value. and / can
only tell You that my pet, Lame. Is before
your eyes
/ scrd,lnized the branch again, looking
for some very small creature that l might
have passed over Suddenly / saw one
OF the twigs of the branch suddenly rise.
moving upward IN a most deliberate fash
ion, and then l caught the outline of
the pet. huge walking stick or mantis.
SO closely resembling the twig that had il
not moved / should probably sill have
failed 10 distinguish IL. Lane was like
a puzzle. difficult 10 make out. but once
fixed in the eye, very distinct and pro-
noanced.
The insect was a giant OF its kind from
the forests OF the Argentine Repuhlic> IL
was nearly six inches in length. and fmi
tated twig so exactly one might believe
dried branch had in some mysterious
way been endowed with life. 1t was
weird, uncanny object. with it's wooden
slow movements. looking more like some
grotesque figure of the imagination than
a real insect In the flesh.
.'As quiet as ii is.'' said it's owner, ''it
can move with remarkable speed. and
when l caught 1t Lame was engaged in
a vcrltable tug Of war with bird which
Ii was endeayoring TO tear from limb:
a struggle in which II was finally sue
cessful. You see besides the legs, used
for locomotion, it has two claspers-ser-
rated or saw-iike organs-which are used
very much after the fashion of the claws
OF a crab. 10 seize its prey and hold IL
TO the mouth.
The mantis had crept along the limb
just as you have seen IL now. raising one
leg so slowly that it would not have been
noticed. Finally bird about the size OF
a hummer. not suspecting that the twig
was a living ravenous enemy. alighted
near IL. ! could only think of a tiger
crouch!ng for its prey as / could see the
wooden limbs seemingly contract; then,
like a fash, out went the toothed claspers
fairly encircling the unfortunate bird that
struggled in vain to tear itself away
from the kn4fe-iike weapons. The more
IL struggled the deeper into the trap IL
fell: the insect simply ciinging to the
limb rigid and fixed. pressing the victim
tighter and tighter and finally killing II.
This giant mantis was discovered by
Burmeis;er, the naturalist. and in all
probability is the largest OF its kind. In
passing through China I frequently saw
the mantis kept as a pet. and secured a
number myself. They were not large
as the South American specimens but
were even more pugnacious. showing a
sly cunning that was remarkable IN so
sluggish an insect / first noticed them
in the market places. where they were
sod in little wicker baskets. One day
met a ChInaman in one OF the narrow
streets of Canton carrying long pole
over his back upon which were strung a
number OF baskets. each containing a
mantis. The person not familiar with
them would hardly believe that the
baskets each held living animal. as
the uncanny wooden eature chung TO its
prison bars closely and initiated it very
perfectly.
These specimens were not kept as pets:
on the contrary. they were valued for
their fighting prociivities. and were a
prolific source of revenue to the men
who exhibited them. The method was
20 go about the city. and when a crowd
was found most likely 10 enjoy a contest
they were taken indoors and the Insects
placed upon a table. about which the au-
dience gathered. The insects, when op-
posed to one another. would invariably
begin a cat-like approach, creeping slow
~ along like mechanical toys. When in
close proximity. they suddenly threw of
their apparent lethargy and rushed upon
each other. showing great ferocity and
striking heavy blows with their saber-
like claws, then they would retreat and
naaGeuver about each other. one rushing
IN and delivering a savage blow. p-ecipi-
tsting the contest until both we're cut al
most IN pieces. These contests are very
popular with the natives. who sometime
wager everything. even 10 their las; pos
session. on favorise.