ing death is especially
widespread.

Many coleopterous insects and Spiders simulate death to perfection,
although it has been ascertained that they do not always adopt the
attitude which members of their species fall into when really dead.
But they remain perfectly motionless; neither leg nor antenna stirs.
McCook, who has devoted such loving study to Spiders, remarks in his
magnificent work, that the Orbweavers, especially, possess this habit.
"One who touches an Orbweaver when hanging upon its web will often be
surprised to see it suddenly cast itself from the snare, or appear to
drop from it, as though shot off by some unseen force. Unless he
understands the nature of the creature he will be utterly at a loss to
know what has become of it. In truth it has simply dropped upon the
ground by a long thread which had been instantaneously emitted, and
had maintained the Aranead in its remarkable exit, so that its fall
was not only harmless, but its return to the web assured. The legs are
drawn up around the body, and to the inexperienced eye it has the
external semblance of death. In this condition it may be handled, it
may be turned over, it may be picked up, and, for a little while at
least, will retain its death-like appearance." Preyer, who has studied
this phenomenon in various animals, comes to the conclusion that it is
usually due to unconsciousness as the result of fright.[40] McCook is
unable to accept this theory of kataplexy, so far as Spiders are
concerned. "I have frequently watched Spiders in this condition," he
observes, "to determine the point in question, and their behaviour
always impressed me as being a genuine feigning of death, and
therefore entirely within their volition. The evidence is of such
indefinite nature that one can hardly venture to give it visible
expression, but my conviction is none the less decided. I may say,
however, that my observations indicate that the Spiders remained in
this condition as long as there seemed to be any threatened danger;
now and again the legs would be relaxed slightly, as though the
creature were about getting ready to resume its normal condition, but
at the slightest alarm withheld its purpose and relapsed into
rigidity. The slight unclasping of the legs, the faint quivering
indications of a purpose to come to life, and then the instant
suppression of the purpose, were so many evidences that the power of
volition was retained, and that the Aranead might have at