The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1905-03-06
FLOWERS OF PREY.
Insects OF the form and Color Of Orchids
which Their Prey Think Plants.

A"sec'H "t tue r0fnh ana Color OF Orchids
which Their Prey Think Plants.
Probably In some respects tho most
surprising result OF late chronological
exploration is the discovery OF sem
blances OF orchidaceous flowers en-
Idowed with animal life ana voracious
carniverous appetItes, that seize and
incontinently devour insect yegetar-
ians which, allured by their form and
color incautiously allght upon them.
These flower insects belong to the
curious family Montidae. of which wa
have a well.known member In our
southern States, Phasmomantls caro-
lima, commonly called praying man
tls,' though II the first part Of the
name was spelled with an ser instead
of an "a" Il would be far more appro.
PIRATE, since no known insect is more
bloodthirsty and destructive Of smaller
ana weaker individuals belonging 10 its
class. Its form is characteristic of its
predatory habits. The mantis is really
four.legged insect, for the four limbs
are so modified that they cannot under
any circumstances be used in walking
and are no more properly termed legs
than would be the arms OF men or
the Wings Of birds. They are. In fact
the natural weapons of the insect and
are used for nothing else than lighting
and for capturing prey.
An insect discovered by Wood Mason
masQuerades sometimes as a pink and
at others MS a white orchid. The whole
dover insect is either conspicuously
white or Of a resplendent pink color,
and both in color and form perfectly
initiates a flower, The lower or ap-
parently anterior petal Of an orchida-
ceous blossom, the labellum. often OF
very curious shape is represented
hy the abdomen Of the insect. while
the parts which might be taken re-
garding il as an insect. for its wings.
are actually the femurs OF the two
pairs Of posterior limbs. so greatly ex-
panded. fiattened and shaped in such
manner as to represent the remaining
petals of the flower. AS the mantis
rests. head downward, amid the stems
and leaves OF plant. the forelegs
drawn in SO that they cannot be seen.
the thighs Of the two hind legs radiat
ing out on each side. and the thorax
and the abdomen raised at right angles
to each other, the insect might easily at
first sight deceive more discriminating
cntomologiSts than the honey seekers
that settle upon it,
An allied species. exactly resembling
a pink orchid is mentioned by Or.
Wallace. on the authority of Sir
Charles Dixie. as inhahiting Java. Its
speciality Is alluring and capturing but
tertiieS The expected guest having
arrived. the seeming feast spread out
for his delectation arises and devours
him.
Professor s. Kurz. while at Pegu. in
lower Burmah. saw what he supposed
to be an orchid OF species unfamiliar
to him, but upon examinasion found
il 10 be a mantis OF the genus G0ngy-
laS. AS is common with the habit Of
its kind when alighting upon plant.
It hung head downward. exposing the
under surface to view. sometimes mo-
tionleSS. and sometimes swaying gently
ike a flower touched by gentle Kephyrs.
A bright vi0iet-hlne dilation Of the
thorax. in front 81 which its forelegs.
banded violet and black. extended like
petals. simulated the corolla OF
papilionaeeoas flower so perfectly as to
deceive the eyes OF a practieed bot
anist.
A whole tribe of SpiderS members Of
the TGomlSdae family, living iii flower
cups. assume the colorS and markings
Of the flowers in which they lie in wait
Tor victims.
Brazilian binds, fyeatchers display I
brilliantly ca,orsd crest easily mis-
taken for flower cup. Insects. at
tracted by what appears to he fresh
u opened blossom. furnish the binds
with food. An ASiatic lizard is en-
tirely. covered ike the surface of the
desert plain where ii lives. except that
At each angle ef the mouth blooms
brilliant rei folding of the fesh exacs-
~ resembling a little flower thar grows
In the sand. Insects iured hy the seem
Ing flower are iRcontinently disillu-
stoned when they settle upon it--Sci
cntihc American.