256 RIVERBY 



is called a subjective phenomenon; the victim is 

 fascinated or spellbound by the sudden and near ap- 

 pearance of its enemy. A sportsman, in whose vera- 

 city I have full confidence, told me that his pointer 

 dog had several times worked up to a woodcock or 

 partridge and seized it in his mouth. Of course the 

 dog brought no mysterious power to bear upon the 

 bird. He could hardly have seen the bird till he 

 came plump upon it ; he was wholly intent upon un- 

 raveling its trail. The bird, in watching the eager 

 motions and the gradual approach of the dog, must 

 have been thrown into such a state of fear or con- 

 sternation as to quite paralyze its powers, and suf- 

 fered the dog to pick it up. In the case of snakes, 

 they doubtless in most instances approach and seize 

 their prey unawares. I have seen a little snake 

 in the woods pursue and overtake a lizard that was 

 trying to escape from it. There was no attempt at 

 charming; superior speed alone gave the victory to 

 the snake. I have known a red squirrel to be caught 

 and swallowed by a black snake, but I have no belief 

 that the squirrel was charmed ; it was more probably 

 seized from some ambush. 



One can hardly understand how a mouse can be 

 caught by a hawk except upon the theory that the 

 mouse is suddenly paralyzed by fear. The meadow 

 mouse when exposed to view is very wary and quick 

 in its movements ; it is nibbling grass in the meadow 

 bottom, or clearing its runway, or shaping its nest, 

 when the hawk poises on wing high in the air above 

 it. When the hawk discovers its victim, it descends 



