24 MARVELS OF THE ANIMAL WORLD 



happily, it was found shortly afterwards. Whether 

 the incident was a case of deception on the snake's 

 part or not, it is difficult to say. 



Passing to the lizards, we find that although the 

 majority are well able to elude their enemies by 

 relying upon their activity and speed of foot, yet 

 one species, known in the scientific world as Procto- 

 tretus mullimaculatus, possesses such short legs that 

 it is unable to run quickly, and, when captured or 

 frightened, it feigns death by closing its eyes, 

 stretching out its legs, and flattening out its body. 



Amongst mammals, the Australian dingo dog 

 and the American opossum are notorious for their 

 habits of feigning death ; indeed, the expression 

 ' to play opossum ' is quite proverbial. No more 

 remarkable instances of this trait in the former 

 animal can be cited than those given by George 

 Bennet in his book Wanderings in New South Wales, 

 in which the author states : ' The cunning dis- 

 played by these animals, and the agony they can 

 endure, without evincing the usual effects of pain, 

 would seem almost incredible, had it not been 

 related by those on whose testimony every depen- 

 dence can be placed.' An account is given of a 

 dingo being beaten so severely that it was supposed 

 that all its ribs had been broken, but when its captor 

 walked away, the victim was seen to slink off. On 

 another occasion a * dead ' dingo was brought 

 into a hut to be skinned ; and, without entering 

 into too many details, it may be stated that the 

 animal displayed such endurance in its endeavours 

 to pass itself off as a defunct creature that it actually 



