Page 121 - For Men of Understanding

COUNTERFEITING DEATH OR INJURY

Other than a few exceptions, most predators prefer live animals as bait. Carcass flesh is not
preferred. This tendency forms the basis of the defence of some living species.

The Tiger moth fakes its death,
too. It, however, has yet another tactic.
When it falls on one side, its orange
body is seen. This bright colour is a
warning to the hunter, which implies
that the moth tastes bad. The moth
unquestionably has neither the
wisdom to devise this "tactic", nor the
skill to turn the colour of its body into
a colour suggesting to the enemy that
it tastes bitter. It is just created with
this interesting skill. In order to drive away animals heading for its offspring, the
Rain Bird lowers one of its wings as if it was broken, and
The Hognose snake protects itself by attracts the enemy towards itself by dragging its wing on the
mimicking its death. It turns face ground as if injured. It allows the enemy to follow it until the
upwards, opens its mouth and stays nest is fully secure. When it is fully convinced that the enemy
in this position without moving is far enough from the nest, it stops play-acting and rushes
at all, like a dead snake. back to its offspring.

The animal
called Opossum
is created in
such a way as
to protect itself by
counterfeiting its
death. Thinking it
is just a carcass, its
enemy disregards
it. It acts out its
role so well that
its heartbeat slows
down to the point
of stopping. Its
ability to slow its
heartbeats is
unquestionably not a skill the animal subsequently acquired,
but one that was given to it during its creation.

The Signs in Living Things 119