f i*^ ^y C 
J 
Do BiKDS Ever “Play Possum”? Mr. Walter iaox.o 
writesus: “In reply to a correspondent’s query m the 
January ‘O. and O.’ I will say that the BJack when 
wounded will ‘play possum.’ I hung one up by the legs 
the other day thinking him dead, but after some hours 
found him to be perfectly hearty barring a broken leg and 
winir. Some W'oodpeckers when sitting will close their 
eyes”' and suffer themselves to be handled. The simulation 
of lameness of many birds in presence of an intruder too 
near the nest or eggs might be considered an active phase 
of the same phenomenon. They certainly pretend to be 
‘partly’ dead.” On page 41 will be fomid ^ii^ retae^e^y 
Mr. Ilasbrouck on the same siibject.Q.&O. 7 
O-'C-xA^ gy ^ 
