46 A CUKIODS DANCE. 



On pushing among the leaves, I found with regret 

 that the creature was only a blind-worm. 



A curious performance was being exhibited by the 

 severed tail, a portion of the animal about five inches 

 long ; this was springing and jumping about with 

 great liveliness and agility, entirely on its own 

 account, for by this time the blind-worm itself had 

 made its escape, and all search was unavailing. 



Some ten minutes or so were consumed in looking 

 for the reptile itself ; and by that time the activity 

 of the tail was at an end, and it was lying flat on the 

 ground, coiled into a curve of nearly three-fourths of 

 a circle. I gave it a push with the stick, when I was 

 startled by the severed member jumping fairly into 

 the air, and recommencing its dance with as much 

 vigour as before. This performance lasted for some 

 minutes, and was again exhibited when the tail was 

 roused by another touch from the stick. Nearly 

 half-an-hour elapsed before the touch of the stick 

 failed to make the tail jump, and even then it pro- 

 duced sharp convulsive movements. 



The object of this strange compound of insensibility 

 and irritability may perhaps be, that when an 

 assailant's attention is occupied by looking at the 

 tail, the creature itself may quietly make its escape. 



The food of the blind-worm is generally of an insect 

 nature, and it seems to be fond of small slugs. The 

 country people declare that it is guilty of various 

 crimes, such as biting cattle and similar offences, of 



