A physiologist in his laboratory, with stetho- 

 scope, sphygmoscope, thermometer, and pneu- 

 monometer, may be able to scare a possum into 

 a fit I should say he might j but I doubt if a 

 plain naturalist in the woods, with only his two 

 eyes, a jack-knife, and a bit of string, was ever 

 able to make the possum do more than "play 

 possum." 



We will try to believe with the laboratory 

 investigator that the possum does genuinely 

 faint. However, it will not be rank heresy to 

 run over this leaf from my diary. It records a 

 faithful diagnosis of the case as I observed it. 

 The statement does not claim to be scientific ; 

 I mean that there were no 'meters or 'scopes 

 of any kind used. It is simply what I saw and 

 have seen a hundred times. Here is the entry : 



POSSUM-FAINT 



Cause. My sudden appearance before the patient. 



Symptoms. A backing away with open mouth and 

 unpleasant hisses until forcibly stopped, when the 

 patient falls on one side, limp and helpless, a long, 

 unearthly smile overspreading the face ; the off eye 

 closed, the near eye just ajar ; no muscular twitching, 

 but most decided attempts to get up and run as soon 

 as my back is turned. 



[22] 



Playing possum. 



