ADAPTATION FOR THE INDIVIDUAL 107 
as the animal itself is concerned, but it is a preserving 
stupidity, and many animals have it. 
The “June Bug” (which is not a bug, but a beetle, 
and arrives in May) has this interesting habit of keep- 
ing quiet. If in its flight it strikes the globe of an 
electric light, it falls at once to the ground, and re- 
mains perfectly quiet for a time. After a short inter- 
val it recovers and starts out to regain its previous ac- 
tivity. But this recovery is by slow stages, and the 
whole procedure on its part looks exceedingly stupid. 
The little snake with flattened and expanded head, 
known as the blowing viper, or puff adder, is one of 
the most amusing representatives of the tendency to 
“play dead” that could well be found. If you strike 
him the faintest blow with the lightest stick, he at 
once goes into apparent convulsions, in which he 
seems to suffer the greatest agony. Then, throwing 
himself upon his back, he, to all appearances, yields 
up the ghost. If, however, you retire but a slight dis- 
tance and keep your eye upon him, you find that his 
ghost returns after a comparatively short absence, and 
he slinks away cut of danger. This is the most effec- 
tive exhibition of this kind with which I am ac- 
quainted. 
As for the habit of “playing “possum” on the part 
of our opossum, the trick would seem to be particu- 
larly inane. The truth of the matter is, what is at- 
