The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-11
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ANIMAL CUNNING.
a Fox Came TO Life After Being XIII
ed, nit His Captor ana Escaped.

ed, btt HIS Captor and Escaped.
From the Scotsman.
Two cases are on record of foxes being
discovered in hen houses. In each case
the fox not only completely deceived the
finder, but allowed himself to be dragged
out by the brush and thrown down, in the
one case in a field, and in the other on a
dung-hill. In each instances the fox then
jumped up and ran away. Another exam
pie is that of a fox which dangled across
a mans shoulder as it allowed itself to be
At last it bit the man and was promptly
dropped. A cat was observed to carry a
weasel home in its mouth, the weasel
dangling helplessly. The door Of the
house was closed and the cat. in conform
ity with its usual habit mewed to gain
admission. To new. however It had 10
set down the weasel. which jumped up and
fastened on its nose.
The following instance was observed by
the late Prof. Romanes corncake had
been retrieved by a dog, and, having
every appearance of being dead, was put
In mans pocket. Presently violent
5lIukEitS were let anu lllt man uTtM Out
the bird out. To his establishment Il
again hung in his hand limp and appar-
entity lifeless. 1t was then set upon the
ground and watched from behind some
cover. In a short time it raised Its head.
looked around and decamped at full speed.
A singular fact that must not be over
looked in connection with this phenome-
non is that some animals have been found
to be actually dead, which we're at first
fbnnphf no qhamupinR ROunnnqH for
instance, found this to be the case with a
squirrel which he had caught In a cloth
and with which he wanted to experiment
with regard to the feigning Of death.
Sir e. Tennent also relates, In his book
on the Natural History Of Ceylon." that
the wild elephant sometimes dies when
being taken from the corral by tame ele-
plants. Further. he relates case in
which, being, convinced that an elephant
was dead, he had its lashings taken off,
he and friend leaning against 1t the
while to rest. Hardly had they left It when
it rose hurriedly, and trumpeting voclfer-
ously, rushed off In the jungle. The fact,
however, that a squirrel or an elephant
when captured unhurt will die Is sufficient
to show that most powerful nervous
arrangement Of some sort Is induced.
When the late Joseph Thomson lectured
on his African experiences, he related how
the first buffalo he shot tossed him, and
how, when he came to himself and tried
to sit up, he found his antagonist glaring
at him a few yards away. He told how
he recollected that a buffalo does not try
TO toss a creature which shows no signs
Of life, and how he let his head sink slow
ly back, and lay shammlng dead.
Pheasants, In flying across wide
stretches Of water, have been noticed
suddenly to fall. In this way they are app
parently drowned. II is perhaps danger
Gus to assert positively that fear Is here
the active cause OF death; yet we are APP
parently Justified In believing that a par
oxysm OF fear can produce sudden death.
The squirrel and the elephant may have
died Of fright; certainly death In man can
be produced by sudden fear, and although
man has a much more sensitive nervous
mechanism, the lower animals have an
extremely active Instinct OF fear.
Prof Lloyd Morgan mentions the case
OF a surfaceman working In the Screven
tunnel who was nearly killed by a train
II ls stated that his attention was 30 riv-
eted that he was unable 70 make. or rather
~ felt no desire 20 make, the appropriate
rnoyenents;' that he could not hep watch
ing the train, but felt no terror. With the
greatest difficulty he managed 20 shake
himself free Of his fascination. In descrlb-
ing his feelings when the danger was
past be H. reported 10 have said. II came
over an in a cold sweat and felt as help-
less as a baby. ! was frightened enough
then" This may perhaps ~ taken as a
catalcDtic condition without rear.