64 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE 



In how far is it instinctive, and in how far an intelli- 

 gent and deliberate adaptation of means to an end 

 under unusual circumstances ? How did the instinct 

 of feigning death and injury arise in the first instance ? 

 Has feigning been confounded with something else 

 totally different, such as the results of fear, surprise, 

 etc. ? Is the expression, " feigning death," not mis- 

 leading in itself ? The matter is so intricate, and such 

 diverse views have been entertained in regard to the 

 subject of feigning, that it will be necessary, in order to 

 arrive at a solution, to examine critically several of the 

 views advanced. 



Feigning death has been observed in many different 

 genera of insects, in snakes, fishes, numerous birds, 

 crustaceans, and several mammals. 



In a most interesting account of experiments on 

 certain animals, by Prof. Czermak, published in the 

 Popular Science Monthly (vols. iii. and iv.), it was 

 shown that in the crayfish, in hens, geese, ducks, 

 turkeys, pigeons, the swan, etc., a state, which this 

 writer recognised as having a physiological basis, but 

 which he did not attempt himself to explain, occurs. 

 In all these animals, under the influence of steady 

 restraint of motion, or, combined with that, prolonged 

 gazing at some object held just before the eyes, a con- 

 dition of quietude and partial or complete unconscious- 

 ness was induced for a shorter or longer period, after 

 which they regained their usual condition. In some 

 of the animals the muscles became rigid, i.e. the 

 cataleptic condition was induced. 



About five years later Prof. Preyer gave the subject 

 a thorough experimental examination. The starting 

 point of all these experiments was the experimentum 

 mirabile of Kircher, in 1646 ; Preyer seems to use the 

 term " cataplexy " to cover what is now more commonly 

 called " catalepsy/' or " hypnotism." Preyer believed 



