320 THE DORR BEETLE. 



this purpose of its being. Exquisitely fabricated 

 as it is to receive impressions, yet probably it is not 

 more highly gifted than any of the other innume- 

 rable creatures, that wing their way around us, or 

 creep about our path, though by this perceptible 

 faculty, thus " dimly seen, 1 ' it excites our wonder 

 and surprise. " How wondrous then the whole !" 

 This creature affords us a good example of that 

 extraordinary artifice, to which some insects have 

 recourse upon the apprehension of danger, the coun- 

 terfeiting of death. The dorr, with a violent and 

 noisy flight, proceeds on its way, or circles around 

 with an apparent fearlessness of harm ; yet the 

 instant it is touched, or interrupted in its progress, 

 though in no way injured, it will immediately fall 

 to the ground, generally prostrate on its back, its 

 limbs extended, stiff, and seemingly devoid of life, 

 and suffering itself to be handled without manifest- 

 ing any signs of animation. In time, finding no 

 harm ensues, it resumes its former state. If our con- 

 jectures be correct, that the object of this stratagem 

 is to preserve its life, it is difficult to comprehend 

 how far it can be successful. Several birds feed 

 on it, as we observed ; and that others do so like- 

 wise is evident from their castings. Of these, the 

 owl and the nightjar catch it when on the wing; 

 and the crows, rooks, magpies, Sec., seem to have 

 no hesitation in picking it to pieces, as well as all 

 the other beetles, that put on the semblance of 





