FEIGNING DEATH. 305 



to be incapable of defence or liiglit until lie had disarmed 

 suspicion, and so escaped hostility.* 



According to Jesse, " Snakes, too, will pretend to be dead , 

 and lie motionless, as long as they think tliey are observed, 

 and in danger, but, wlien they believe that all foes have witli- 

 drawn, and they are out of peril, they will glide away with 

 the greatest speed into the nearest hole or covert. 



"Among birds, the corncrake has lieen most remarked for 

 this species of art. The author of ' The Natural History of 

 the Corncrake ' relates that one of these birds was brought to 

 a gentleman by his dog, to all appearance quite dead. The 

 gentleman turned it over with his foot, as it lay upon the 

 ground, and was convinced there was no more life in it. But 

 after a while he saw it open one eye ; and he then took it up 

 again, when its head fell, its legs hung loose, and it once more 

 appeared to be certainly dead. He next put it into his 

 pocket, and before long felt it struggling to escape ; he took it 

 out, and it seemed lifeless as before. He then laid it on the 

 ground and retired to a little distance to watch it, and saw it 

 in about five minutes raise its head warily, look round, and 

 decamp at full speed." 



Bingley observes, " This stratagem is also said to be prac- 

 tised by the common crab, which, when it apprehends danger, 

 will lie as if dead, waiting for an opportunity to sink itself 

 into the sand, keeping only its eyes above it." 



Hence, it appears that from insects upwards, the instinct 



* Illustrations of Instinct, p. 197. Sir E. Tennent, in his Natural His- 

 tory of Ceylon, gives the case of a wild elepliant apparently feigning death ; 

 but as under the circumstances mentioned elephants very often actually 

 do die (see Animal Intelligence, p. 396), this case is probably not to be attri- 

 buted to intentional deception on the part of the animal. The case is as 

 follows : — " Mr. Cripps has related to me an instance in which a recently 

 captured elephant was either rendered senseless from fear, or, as the native 

 attendants asserted, _/ei'^«ec^ death in order to regain its freedom. It was led 

 from the corral as usual between two tame ones, and had already proceeded 

 far towards its destination ; when night closing in, and the torches being 

 lighted, it refused to go on, and finally sank to the groimd, apparently life- 

 less. Mr. Cripps ordered the fastenings to be removed from its legs, and 

 when attempts to raise it had failed, so convinced was he that it was dead, 

 that he ordered the ropes to be taken off and the carcase abantlooied. While 

 this was being done he and a gentleman by whom he was accompanied leaned 

 against the body to rest. They had scarcely taken their departure and pro- 

 ceeded a few yards, when, to their astonishment, the elephant rose with the 

 utmost alacrity, and fled towards the jimgle, screaming at the top of its voice, 

 its cries being audible lopg after it had disappeared in the shades of the 

 forest." 



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