214 Studies in Animal Behavior 



legs, falling from their station, and remaining mo- 

 tionless; and when in this situation may be pierced 

 and torn to pieces without their exhibiting the slight- 

 est symptom of pain." The Severins tried the ap- 

 plication of heat to Belostoma, but the insect was 

 invariably brought out of its feint and made strug- 

 gles to escape, although it might endure more or less 

 mutilation without making any response. I have 

 found that a feigning Ranatra will allow its legs to 

 be snipped off without betraying the least move- 

 ment beyond an occasional twitch. Similar insen- 

 sibility has been observed in Nepa (Severin) , Carau- 

 sius (Schmidt) and other forms. 



As has been pointed out by Romanes, Preyer, 

 Verworn, Schmidt and others, the instinct of feign- 

 ing death is doubtless closely connected with much 

 of what has been called hypnotism in the lower ani- 

 mals. Crayfishes, frogs, lizards, certain snakes and 

 many birds and mammals, may by a' very simple 

 process be thrown into an inactive condition from 

 which they are not readily aroused by external stim- 

 uli. In ordinary death feigning the animal falls into 

 its immobile state upon slight provocation ; a touch, 

 or even a jar is sometimes all that is required. In| 

 the so-called cases of hypnosis more or less manipu- 

 lation is necessary. The exciting cause in both cases 

 is generally some form of contact stimulus. In the 

 hypnotism of animals, as Verworn and others have 

 shown, there is diminished reflex irritability, and 

 usually tonic contraction of many at least of the 



