H E M I P T E RA.
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M A N T I S F L A B E L L I C O R N I S .
F A N -H O S N E D C A M E L C R IC K E T .
S P E C I F I C C H A R A C T E R .
A broad membrane on each fide o f the thorax, next the head. Anterior thighs terminate in a fpine, the
fecond joint befet with fpines, and furniihed with a lobe on one fide. Antennce pedtinated.
M a n t is f l a b e l l ic o r n i s : thorace apice dilato membranaceo, femoribus andcis fpina terminatis reliqiiis
lobo, antennis pedlinatis. Fah. Ent. S-pJi. 2. f . l 6, fp . l 6.
This Mantis is defcribed by Fabricius only. Stoll has given tlie figure o f an infedt not unlike it in his
publication ; and we have feen a fpecimen fimilar to it, which was found by Profelfor Pallas near the Cafpian
fea. I t is allied to Mantis Grongyloides, a native o f Africa and Afia, but bears a clofer affinity to Mantis
Pauperata a from Java, Molucca, and perhaps other iilands in the Indian fea.
Fabricius enumerates fifty-one fpecies o f this genus in his laft fyftemj a confiderable portion o f thefe
are from Afia : had he included the lately difcovered kinds in America and New Holland, his genus would
have been far more comprehenfive. Few naturalifts have had the opportunity o f obferving the manners of
thefe creatures in diftant countries; nor can we always rely on the information thofe few have given. Of
the European fpecies we can fpeak with more precifion, becaufe fome indefatigable naturalifts have a ttended
minutely to them; Roefel in parücular has treated a t confiderable length on the manners o f the
Mantis Religiofa of Linnæus.
Defcriptions can only convey an impeffeft idea o f the extraordinary appearance o f many creatures included
in the Mantis and Locufta genera. Among them are found fpecies that bear a fimilitude to the ufual
fonns o f other infefts; but, from thefe w e almoft imperceptibly defcend to others, bearing as ftrong a fimilitude
to the vegetable part of creation ; feeming as i f Nature defigned them to unite the appearance o f a
vegetable with the vital fundions o f an animal, to preferve them from the ravages o f voracious creatures,
or to conneÛ th at chain o f progreffive and univerfal being, which
“ T h e great direding M in d o f A l l ordains.”
Many o f ihefe creatures afliime fo exadly the appearance o f the leaves o f different trees, that they fur*-
» Figured by Stoll under the name of La Miinti GouUeufe Brunt f
H E M I P T E R A.
nlfli Ihs entomologlft with unerring fpecific difflnaions; thus we have L , citrjfolia, laurifitla, mynyilia
okifilia, graminifiUa, and others, equally expreffive o f their refemblance in form, and colours, to th i
leaves o f thofe refpeaive plants. Travellers in countries that produce thefe creatures, have been ftruck
with thepharnomenon, as it muft appear, o f animated vegetable fubftances; for the manners o f the Mantis,
in addition to its ftmaure, aro very likely to impofe on the fenfes o f the uninformed. They often remain’
on the trees for hours without motion, then fuddenly fpring into the air, and, when they fettle, again
appear lifelefs. Thefe are only ftratagems to deceive the more cautions in fe a s whieh it feeds npo’n • but
fome traveller, who have obferved it, have declared they faw the leaves o f ffiofe trees become living’crca-
tures, and take flight.
M. Merian informs us of a fimilar opinion among the Indians, who believed thefe in fe a , grew like
leaves on the trees, and when they were mature, loofened themfelves and crawled, or flew away From
the credulous, and unfcientifie, marvellous reports o f fuch extraordinary creatures may be expeaed- but
to thefe we muft add the authority o f a „aturallft, whofe works are a valuable addition to onr prefen't
knowledge o f the hiftory o f nature: thefe are the works o f Plfo
''T h o fe little animals,” fays that author, " change into a green and tender plant, which is o f two hands
breadth. The feet are fixed into the ground firft; from thefe, when neeeifary humidity is a ltra a e d roots
grow out, and ftrlke ¡„to the ground; thus they change by degrees, and in a (hort time beclme a
p erfea plant. Sometimes only the lower part takes the nature and form o f a plant, while th e upper part
remams as before, hvmg and moveable, after fome time the animal is gradually converted into a plant
In tlus Nature feem., lo operate in a circle, by a continual retrograde motion.”
Has the fatber o f inventive romance outdone this account o f Pifo in his well-known extravagant
poetrcal effnfions c ., u m ay b e imagined he has not; b u t before we difmifs his account with a hafty
^ GuVtelmi Fifonls
■ hvnMwKrivoaisimplt-ratcornibusorbenuiic. O vm ii
Four times, revolving, the full ,etura'J,
So long the mother ioJ the daoghtet. mourn’d;
When now the eldcft, Phaethofia, ftrove
To reft her weary limbs, but could not move;
Lampetia would have help’d her, but Ihe found
HetfeK withheld, and routed to the gronud t
A third in wild affliflion, as the grieves.
Would tend hot halt, but ftlls her hands with leaves,
One fees he, thighs transform’d, another views
Her arms Ihof our, and branching into boughs.
And now their legs, and breaffa, and bodies, flood
Crofted with bark, and hardeniug into wood;
But ftiU above were female heads difplay’d.
And mouth,, that call’d the mother to their a'd.
Amßcrl. 1657.
« Fhdkhontis in Arbores.
What could, alas! the weeping mother do >
From this to chat with eager hafte ihe flew,
And kifs’d her fprouting daughters as they grew s
She tears the bark that to each body cleaves.
And from the verdant fingers ftrips the leaves :
The blood came trickling where flie tore away
Thc leaves and bark : the maids were heard to fay,
“ Forbear, iniftaken parent, oh, forbear!
A wounded daughter in each tree you tear :
Farewd for ever.” Hem the bark increas'd.
Clos'd on their faces, and their words fupprefs’d.
A ddiso .^j ’s Tranf. Phaeton's Siflen
transformtd into Trees.