142 



E. MELVILLE DuPORTE 



longest feint obtained in these experiments lasted for seven 

 minutes and twenty seconds. This case was unique, but oc- 

 casionally feints lasting over a minute or even as long as two 

 minutes were obtained. There seems to be no definite relation 

 between the durations of successive feints. They are not grada- 

 tional nor do they vary proportionately in any two individuals 

 examined. 



TABLE I 



Duration in Seconds of Ten Successive Feints of Seven Individuals 



* Failure to respond to stimulation. 

 f Partial feint. 



Effects of Repeated Stimulation on the Death Feint. Experi- 

 ments were conducted to determine whether the death feint 

 could be induced indefinitely by repeated stimulation. It was 

 found that the feint could not be elicited indefinitely, but the 

 number of times that it could be elicited before the insect ceased 

 to respond varied considerably with different individuals. In 

 some cases the insect would feign death only a few times and 

 then refuse to respond further, and in no case was I able to 

 elicit more than forty successive feints. The results of other 

 workers may be of interest in this connection. ' Holmes found 

 in the case of ten Ranatras successively put into death feints 

 that these were continued without interruption from 9 a. m. to 

 5 p. m., when the last specimen refused to feign longer. The 

 Severins found it possible in the case of Belostoma to induce 

 feints successively for a total of five hours. The responses of 

 the curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar Herbst.) were very much 

 less pronounced than was the case of these forms. Feints 

 could not be elicited successively for a period of greater length 



