258 HASTY OBSERVATION 



But there is probably little truth in this popular 

 notion. Fear often paralyzes, and doubtless this 

 is the whole secret of the power of snakes and 

 cats to charm their prey. It is what is called a 

 subjective phenomenon; the victim is fascinated 

 or spellbound by the sudden and near appear- 

 ance of its enemy. A sportsman in whose 

 veracity 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 myste- 

 rious power to bear upon the bird. He could 

 hardly have seen the bird till he came plump 

 upon it; he was wholly intent upon unraveling 

 its trail. The bird, in watching the eager mo- 

 tions and the gradual approach of the dog, must 

 have been thrown into such a state of fear or 

 consternation as to quite paralyze its powers, 

 and suffered the dog to pick it up. In the case 

 of snakes, they doubtless in most instances ap- 

 proach 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; supe- 

 rior 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 be- 

 lief 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 ia 



