68 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE 
mind: May not this condition assumed by insects be a 
peculiarity with which natural selection has nothing to 
do—a sort of imperfection of their nervous system, if 
it exposes them to enemies, the reverse if it conceals 
them—at all events, not necessarily connected with 
natural selection, for animals survive in spite of 
peculiarities and imperfections? In fact, the conception 
that any animal is perfectly adapted to its surroundings 
is unwarrantable, otherwise such an animal should 
continue to live a perpetwwm. 
Preyer would ascribe the so-called shamming death 
of insects wholly to cataplexy, which seems highly 
probable. Couch, who is quoted by Romanes, would 
explain certain behaviour of wolves, foxes, and some 
other animals, usually set down to deliberate feigning, 
by an effect analogous to cataplexy. He thinks their 
senses are stupefied by surprise, terror, etc., so that they 
are unable to escape. 
The transfixing effect of fear in man has been well 
described by the poets, including Shakespeare him- 
self :— 
“ Whilst they, distill’d 
Almost to jelly with the act of fear, 
Stand dumb, and speak not to him.” 
Romanes inclines to give weight to the views of 
Preyer and Couch so far as vertebrates are concerned. 
He says: “A fox would never have so good a chance of 
escape from an enemy by remaining motionless as it 
would by the use of its legs.” But if man is to be 
reckoned among the enemies of this animal, then, 
according to instances given by Romanes in the same 
chapter, foxes have escaped from their enemies by 
feigning death. 
I have often noticed how one dog has escaped the 
attack of another by lying down and assuming an 
