6 HENRY H. P. SEVERIN AND HARRY C. SEVERIN 



claw-like tibia and tarsus of the raptorial limbs or unfold the 

 swimming legs and then sink back into its quiescent state. 

 After a few seconds or minutes or even a quarter of an hour 

 or more, the specimen may suddenly right itself and endeavor to 

 escape by fleeing very rapidly. 



5. Termination of the death feint: The termination of the 

 death feint is sometimes preceded by an outward indication in 

 some animals. Holmes (8, p. 192) in describing the awakening 

 in one of the large sand-fleas, Talorchestia longicornis, writes 

 as follows: "Waking up, however, is not instantaneous, but 

 is preceded by certain symptoms which may readily be observed 

 if the creature is closely watched. There is first a nervous 

 twitch here and there, then a slight unbending of the antennae 

 and a straightening of the legs and body — all of which indicate 

 a slight relaxation of the muscular tension under which the 

 animal labors — and finally a sudden spring and attempt to 

 escape." Fabre (6, p. 15) gives a somewhat different account 

 in the beetle, Scarites gigas, Fab. " Les tarses tremblotent, 

 ceux d'avant les premiers; les palpes et les antennes lentement 

 oscillent, c'est le prelude du re veil. Les pattes maintenant 

 gesticulent." 



While Belostoma does not give any marked outward signs 

 previous to coming out of the death feint, Nepa usually behaves 

 somewhat differently. Although in some instances Nepa, when 

 feigning upon its back, will come out of the death feint suddenly, 

 right itself and run away, all within a few seconds, ordinarily 

 it gives us some warning as to when it is coming out of the feint. 

 The first noticeable movement is usually a twitching of the 

 tarsi, or tarsi and tibiae together of the middle and hind legs, 

 after which these legs are extended slowly and stiffly away from 

 the body. A very peculiar phenomenon may now take place; 

 the middle and hind legs may move about very stiffly and me- 

 chanically, as if they were being worked with strings that were 

 jerked at intervals. Sooner or later this movement ceases and 

 the insect endeavors to right itself, often falling back while 

 trying to do so. The shock effect of falling back may be sufficient 

 to throw the bug into a feint again, but if this does not occur, 

 the hemipteron will finally right itself. Now again the shock 

 effect of falling over on its ventral surface may be sufficient to 

 cause the specimen to drop back into the death feint. When 



