EAGLES AND EALCONS 
the bird’s boldness and courage returns, and it pursues its 
natural calling with the spirit of the wild race to which 
it belongs. There are many wild animals, however, whose 
delicate organization renders them unable to stand the 
severe test through which these bold and savage creatures 
pass so quickly. Many birds, when captured, are so terror- 
stricken that they are paralyzed, and for many hours are 
perfectly helpless, having lost the use of their legs and 
wings. Excessive fear not unfrequently has this effect 
upon many wild animals, and no doubt has led to the 
belief in the so-called fascination. For instance, a rabbit 
when introduced into the cage of a serpent may skip or 
hop upon its enemy, whose sudden start alarms the rabbit 
and causes it to remain motionless ; the serpent, taking 
advantage of this, instantly strikes at and catches its 
victim, and generally kills it in the most expeditious 
manner. 
There can be no doubt about the instruments of death 
supplied to the brute creation being the most perfect to 
accomplish the end for which they are intended, and if we 
could only ascertain the facts, they j^robably inflict less 
continued pain than generally may be suffered by animals 
that are wounded or killed by other than their natural 
enemies. For instance, most of the creatures that are 
preyed upon belong to the more timid class, and when 
seized, suddenly lose all power, in fact faint and become 
unconscious, and consequently are saved from suffering 
pain, dying in a state of insensibility. There are well- 
recorded instances of persons when seized by the larger 
kind of carnivora having lost the power of feeling. If I 
am not mistaken. Dr. Livingstone stated that he felt but 
little pain at the time the lion bit him, and broke the 
bone of his arm ; a similar statement was made by Lloyd, 
author of Northern Fidel Sports, when attacked and 
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