398 Annals Entomological Society of America [Vol. V, 
Several specimens were placed in the death feint, and the 
abdomen of each was clipped away. No movement was made 
except a slight twitching of the tarsi in a few of the specimens. 
The insects remained in the feigning attitude for the normal 
length of time, and upon recovering activity walked about in a 
perfectly co-ordinated manner, except for the difficulty of 
balancing the body. They were thrown into the feint in this 
condition with about as much readiness as were the normal 
specimens. 
The next operation performed was to sever the body between 
the prothorax and the mesothorax. The result without excep- 
tion was an instant manifestation of activity on the part of the 
body, in some cases the wings becoming extended as if to fly. 
The head and prothorax, however, showed no shock effects of 
the operation, but remained in the feint for some time afterwards. 
This portion of the body could be readily induced to feign death, 
but the posterior part only to a very slight degree even upon 
vigorous stimulation. These results in general accord with those 
of investigators on other forms. 
Nature of the Instinct. 
The instinct of feigning death occurs in almost all of the 
orders of insects. While it is perhaps within this group that 
it reaches its most marked development, it is to be found to a 
slight extent in all of the higher phyla of the animal kingdom. 
It has been studied by Holmes in the amphipod crustaceans, 
and has been found by Andrews (1) in the breeding habits of 
the cray-fish. It occurs rarely among the fishes, and to a 
certain extent in the amphibians. In varying degrees, it is 
found expressed in the reptiles and birds; while among the 
mammals, from the behavior of the opossum, the common 
synonym “playing possum”’ has come to be derived. 
It is Holmes’ (5) conclusion from his work on the amphipod, 
Talorchestia longicornis, ‘‘that the death feigning instinct of 
Talorchestia longicornis is an instinct which has its roots in the 
thigmotactic response common among amphipods.’’ The Sev- 
erins (10) say: ‘‘Among aquatic Hemiptera, the death feint 
may have arisen out of positively thigmotactic propensities 
which are manifested to such a marked degree by various 
members of the families Belostomatide and Nepide.” It is 
evident without statement, from the results discussed in this 
