The times., 1899-03-19
ANIMAL FASCINATION.
Snakes Not the Only Creatures Thnt
Exercise 1t.
(From the spcctator.)

(From the Spectator.)
Commenting on the instance OF apparent
fascination in a peacock stalked by a leop
ard, described in the Spectator" of Feb
ruary IS, correspondent says: About
five miles from Port Elizabeth, Natal, when
out shooting / saw an instance of the
complete paralysis of a bird by a snake,
and though the word fascination common
ly used for this kind of effect without con-
tact is perhaps wrongly employed, the case
was a good example of what Is usually
meant by the term. Our attention was
first attracted by something moving on the
branch of a tree, about ten feet above the
ground. We then saw 1t was Cape cobra,
OF the deadly kind, standing erect with
only the lowest coils of its tail around the
branch, with it's hood expanded, and sway
ing from side TO side. On going nearer>w
saw what we had not noticed before, pig
con sitting on the branch about yard
from the snake. 1t was perfectly notion
less, not crouched on the bough, but stand
ing up, and made not the slightest attempt
to fly away. We shot the snake, but nell
ther the fall OF the creature nor the report
seemed to 'unfreeze' the pigeon at first.
Then it did not fly, but slowly walked
along the bough into the centre OF the tree,
where / suppose it remained until it had
recovered from the shock TO its nerves.
The above is authentic and a very I'M
common instance of what is generally un-
derstood by the popular belief in the power
of serpents to exercise this influence on
their prey But 1t is possible, even in this
case, that the bird had been already slight
ly bitten by the cobra, and that the paraly-
sis may have been physical and not nerv-
ous This idea did not occur to the wit
ness of the scene, and he did not walt to
see whether the pigeon ultimately recov-
cred. Its partial recovery when the snake
was shot he did see.
II, as is probable, there are occasional
instances of suspension of faculties caused
by the sudden appearance of SO deadly a
foe as the snake, they can be accounted
for, step by step, by natural process of
emotion and results. But before endeavor-
ing TO trace the degrees of such suspen-
sion of their natural impulses of flight and
escape il is well to state that cases, even
of apparent fascination. are uncommon,
and confined to a very few creatures on
which snakes feed. The frogs, ducks, and
mice on which various serpents at the Zoo
are fed are said usually to show no fear at
all, and duck will walk over the python S
coils and quack before the creature moves
its head TO seize it. Rabbits, which are
paralyzed with fear. and in a sense 'fasci-
mated" by the stoat, seem insensible to
| danger from the serpent That, however,
may well be because the rabbits have had
no experience of large serpents. In India
there is at least one rat which goes in SUCH
| fear of It's life from them that 1t blocks up
| its hole with stones when lat home" as it
is thought, to keep them out,
The creatures which are said to
be the usual objects Of fascination
| by snakes are birds and monkeys.
| In this selection common belief
has probability on its side because
both small birds and monkeys are intense
| ly emotional, quick and sensitive creatures.
Moreover. they have for all time been the
prey of tree-climbing snakes. Mr.. Kip
ling's Hunting of Kaa" puts the idea into
dramatic form There may be evidence
| that the python goes hunting" though
| il he does not, but remains, as "Eha" says,
quiet, and waiting till he can seize a
passing jackal or monkey. II does not spoil
the story 1t is however, on record that
a monkey has been known to drop down
in a dead faint when suddenly shown a
serpent; and more than one account rep
resents a brood of fedged young birds
futtering and apparently powerless to fly
| before a snake, with the parent bird dash
| ing so close past its jaws that it is
caught This can only be accounted for
on the same grounds as the impulse which
makes persons inclined TO throw them
selves over precipices. II arises from the
momentary breakdown of resolution In the
face of an overwhelming danger, or from
the rebound of overstretched precaution,
which starts back to the furthest limits
of abhorrence and then rushes into the
Jaws of peril But the temporary paraly-
sis of faculties is an instance Of moral
failure in what, up till then. has been