The Giant Scarites 



Incapable of sudden flight, the surprised in- 

 sect lets itself fall. You look for it in the 

 grass, often in vain. If you do find it, it is ly- 

 ing on its back, with its legs folded, without 

 stirring. 



It is shamming dead, people will tell you ; 

 it is pretending, in order to escape its enemy. 

 Man is certainly unknown to it; we count 

 for nothing in its little world. What does 

 it care for our hunting, whether we be child- 

 ren or scientists? It does not fear the col- 

 lector with his long pin ; but it realizes danger 

 in general; and it dreads its natural enemy, 

 the insectivorous bird, which swallows it with 

 a single snap. To outwit the assailant, it 

 lies upon its back, draws up its legs and 

 simulates death. The bird, or any other 

 persecutor, will despise it in this condition; 

 and its life will be saved. 



This, we are assured, is how the insect 

 would reason if suddenly surprised. The 

 trick has long been famous. Once upon a 

 time, two friends, at the end of their re- 

 sources, sold the skin of a Bear before they 

 had killed the brute. The encounter was 

 unfortunate : they had to take to their heels. 

 One of them stumbled, fell, held his breath 

 and shammed dead. The Bear came up, 

 turned the man over and over, explored him 



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