An epitome of the natural history of the insects of China. Comprising figures and descriptions of upwards of one hundred new, singular, and beautiful species; together with some that are of importance in medicine, domestic economy, &c. The figures are accurately drawn, engraved and coloured, from specimens of the insects; the descriptions are arranged according to the system of Linnæus; with references to the writings of Fabricius, and other systematic authors / By E. Donovan.

Edward Donovan

Date:: 1798

Credit: An epitome of the natural history of the insects of China. Comprising figures and descriptions of upwards of one hundred new, singular, and beautiful species; together with some that are of importance in medicine, domestic economy, &c. The figures are accurately drawn, engraved and coloured, from specimens of the insects; the descriptions are arranged according to the system of Linnæus; with references to the writings of Fabricius, and other systematic authors / By E. Donovan. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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ardice, as they had barbarity beforej for the inttant the Mantes faw the ants they tried to cfcape in every diredlion. By tliis Roefel found the ants were the greateft perfecutors of the Mantes. He next gave them fome of the common mufca (houfe hies), which they feized with eagernefs in their fore claws, and tore in pieces: but, though tliefe creatures feemed very fond of the hies, they continued to deftroy one another through favage wantonnefs. Defpairing at laft, from their daily decreafe, of rearing any to the winged hate, he feparated them into fmall parcels in different glaffes; but, here, as before, the ftrongeft of each community deftroyed the reft. Another time, he received feveral pair of Mantes in the winged hate; profiting by his former obfer- vation, he put each pair [a male and female] into a feparate glafs, but they ftill fliewed figns of an eternal enmity towards one another, which neither fex nor age could foften; for the inftant they were in fight of each other, they threw up their heads, brandiftied tlieir fore legs, and waited the attack: they did not remain long in this pofturc, for the boldeft throwing open its wings, with the velocity of lightning, ruflied at the other, and often tore it in pieces with the crockets and fpines of the fore claws. Roefel compares the attack of thefe creatures to that of two hulTars; for they dexteroufly guard and cut with the edge of the fore claws, as thofe foldiers do with their fabres, and fometimes at a fti'oke, one cleaves the other through, or fevers its head from the thorax. After this the conqueror devours his vanquilhed antagonift. We learn from Roefel alfo, the manner in which tliis creature takes its prey, in which refpeft we find it agrees with what is related of the extra European fpecies. The patience of this Mantis is remarkable, and the pofture to which fuperftition has attributed devotion, is no other, than the means it ufes to catch it. When it has fixed its eyes on an infedl, it very rarely lofes fight of it, though it may coft fome hours to take. If it fees the infedl a little beyond its reach, over its head, it ffowly eredts its long thorax, by means of the moveable membranes that connedt it to the body at the bafej then, refting on the four pofterior legs, it gradually raifes the anterior pair alfoj if this brings it near enough to the infedt, it throws open the laft joint, or crocket part, and fnaps it between the fpines, that are fet in rows on the fecond joint. If it is unfuccefsful, it does not retradt its arms, but holds them ftretched out, and waits again till the infedt is within its reach, when it fprings up and feizes it. This is the uncommon pofture before alluded to. Should the infedt go far from the fpot, it flies, or crawls after it, flowly on the ground like a cat, and when the infedt flops, eredts itfelf as before. They have a fmall black pupil or fight which moves in all diredtions within the parts we ufually term the eyes, fo that it can fee its prey in any diredtion without having occafion to difturb it, by turning its head. The moft prevalent colour of this tribe of infedts is fine green, but many of thefe fade or become brown after the infedt dies: fome are finely decorated witli a variety of vivid hues; the moft beautiful of thefe, that we have feen, arc from the Moluccas.

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