to dare fate; but previously he had done everything to flee without
passing over the snare. As long as he had claws and strength he
hollowed out the earth to form a new issue, but hunger rapidly
exhausted his vigour and he was not able to complete the work. Foxes
thus trapped have recognised immediately when one of these engines
went off, either owing to another animal being caught or from some
other reason. In this case the captive understands very well that the
mechanism has produced its effect, that it is no longer to be dreaded,
and he boldly emerges.

It has happened that foxes have been caught in a trap by a paw or else
by the tail, when delicately endeavouring to extract the bait.
Recognising the manner in which they are retained prisoners, certain
of them have had the intelligence and the courage to cut off with
their teeth the part engaged in the trap, and to escape thus
mutilated. St. John knew a fox who thus escaped by amputating a paw,
and who was able to earn his living for three or four years
subsequently, when he was finally caught.

In Australia great kangaroo hunts are organised. Generally the capture
is sufficiently easy, and the dogs are able to seize the kangaroo, but
sometimes he makes a long and rather original defence. If possible, he
directs his flight towards a river. If he reaches it he enters, and,
thanks to his great height, he is able to go on foot to a depth where
the dogs are obliged to swim. Arrived there, he plants himself on his
two posterior legs and his tail, and, up to his shoulders in the
water, awaits the arrival of the pack. With his anterior paws he
seizes by the head the first dog who approaches him, and, as he is
more solidly balanced than his assailant, he holds the dog's nose
beneath the water as long as he can. Unless a second dog speedily
comes to the rescue the first is inevitably drowned. If a companion
arrives to free him, he is so disturbed by this unexpected bath that
he regains the bank as quickly as possible, and has no further desire
to attack this suffocating prey. A strong and courageous old male can
thus hold his own against twenty or thirty dogs, drowning some and
frightening others, and the hunter is obliged to intervene and put an
end to this energetic defence by a bullet.[39]

[39] J. Gould, _The Mammals of Australia_, London, 1845-60.

_Feint._--Many animals, when they cannot escape danger by flight, seek
safety by various feints. The device of feign