is so common, that during the summer months, scarcely a boy is to be
seen without his cage of locusts."[3]

[3] Travels in China.

The country people in many parts of the continent, look upon the
religious Mantis as a divine insect, and would not on any account injure
it. Dr. Smith, however, informs us, that he received an account of this
Mantis, that seemed to savour little indeed of divinity. A gentleman
caught a male and female, and put them together in a glass vessel. The
female, which in this, as in most other insects, is the largest, after a
while, devoured, first the head and upper parts of her companion, and
afterwards the remainder of the body.[4] Roesel, wishing to observe the
gradual progress of these creatures to the winged state, placed the bag
containing the eggs in a large enclosed glass. From the time they were
hatched they were very savage. He put various plants into the glass, but
they refused them, in order to prey upon each other. He next tried
insect food, and put several ants into the glass to them, but they then
betrayed as much cowardice as they had before done of barbarity; for the
instant the Mantes saw the ants, they attempted to escape in every
direction. He next gave them some common house flies, which they seized
with eagerness in their fore claws, and tore in pieces; notwithstanding
this apparent fondness for flies, they continued to destroy each other.
Despairing at last, from their daily decrease, of rearing any to the
winged state, he separated them into small numbers, in different
glasses; but here, as before, the strongest of each community destroyed
the rest. He afterwards received several pair of Mantes in the winged
state, which he separated, a male and female together, into different
glasses; but they still showed a rooted enmity towards each other, which
neither age nor sex could mitigate. The instant they came in sight of
each other, they threw up their heads, brandished their fore-legs, and
each waited the attack. They did not, however, long remain in this
posture; for the boldest throwing open his wings with the velocity of
lightning, rushed at the other, and often tore it in pieces.

[4] Tour on the Continent.

The last mentioned species is the supposed idol of the Hottentots; the
person on whom the adored insect happens to light, being considered as
favoured by the distinction of a celestial visitant, and regarded ever
after as a saint.

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