e will
the first stroke be delivered? In front is a real engine of warfare, a
pair of powerful shears with toothed jaws. Let the fore-arm close
upon the upper arm; and the imprudent insect, crushed between the two
saw-blades, will be torn to pieces; wounded by the terminal hook, it
will be eviscerated. This ferocious mechanism is the great danger; it is
this that must be mastered at the outset, at the risk of life; the rest
is less urgent. The first blow of the stylet, cautiously directed, is
therefore aimed at the lethal fore-legs, which imperil the vivisector's
own existence. Above all, there must be no hesitation. The blow must be
accurate then and there, or the sacrificer will be caught in the
vice and perish. The two other pairs of legs present no danger to the
operator, who might neglect them if she had only her own security to
think of; but the surgeon is operating with a view to the egg, which
demands complete immobility in the provisions. Their centres of
innervation will therefore be stabbed as well, with the leisure which
the Mantis, now put out of action, permits. These legs, as well as their
nervous centres, are situated very far behind the first point attacked.
There is a long neutral interval, that of the prothorax, into which it
is quite useless to drive the sting. This interval has to be crossed; by
a backward movement conforming with the secrets of the victim's internal
anatomy, the second ganglion must be reached and then its neighbour, the
third. In short, the surgical operation may be formulated thus: a
first stab of the lancet in front; a considerable movement to the rear,
measuring about two-fifths of an inch; lastly, two lancet-thrusts at
two points very close together. Thus speaks the science of man; thus
counsels reason, guided by anatomical structure. Having said this much
let us observe the insect's practice.

There is no difficulty about seeing the Tachytes operate in our
presence; we have only to resort to the method of substitution, which
has already done me so much service, that is, to deprive the huntress of
her prey and at once to give her, in exchange, a living Mantis of about
the same size. This substitution is impracticable with the majority
of the Tachytes, who reach the threshold of their dwelling in a single
flight and at once vanish underground with their game. A few of them,
from time to time, harassed perhaps by their burden, chance to alight at
a short distance from their burr