Chapter VII: The Doubtful

Viper Swallowing her Young -- Conflicting Statements -- Physiologically
not Impossible -- Reports of Witnesses -- Mr Percival's Account -- Mr
Wolley's Corroboration -- Mr Bond's Testimony -- Case of the Rattlesnake
-- Seen by Palisot de Beauvois -- Case of the Common Lizard -- Comments
on the Evidence.

Madame Merian -- Her Truth Impeached -- Her Story of the Lantern-fly --
Denials of its Luminosity by Entomologists -- Confirmation of it by
Lacordaire -- By Spinola -- By Wesmael -- English Insects only
Occasionally Luminous -- Mole-cricket -- The Cause of _ignis fatuus_ --
Crane-fly -- Luminous Caterpillars -- Perhaps a Disease.

Madame Merian again Arraigned -- Her Account of Spiders Preying on
Humming-birds -- Mr MacLeay's Denial and Proof of the Negative --
Comment on his Evidence -- Langsdorff's Evidence -- Ceylon Spiders --
Sir E. Tennent's Criticisms -- Collateral Evidence for the Affirmative
-- Strong Webs of _Nephila_ -- The Solfuga of India -- Account of its
Habits -- Attacks and Overcomes Small Birds -- Captain Sherwill Saw a
Spider Eating a Bird in India -- Moreau de Jonnes' Direct Confirmation
of Merian -- Mr H. Bates's Conclusive Testimony, 220

VIII. FASCINATION.

Power Attributed to Serpents of Paralysing their Prey -- Dr Bird's Story
of Black Snake -- Rattlesnake and Squirrel -- Cobra and Lizard --
African Snake and Mouse -- Snake and Frog -- Habits of the Boomslange --
Snake and Shrike -- Snake and Mouse -- Dr Evans's Observations on
Serpents at the Zoological Gardens -- Ringed Snake and Hedge Sparrow --
Snake and Robin -- Indian Serpent and Eel -- Attempted Explanations --
Mr Martin's Observations -- Barton Attributes the Phenomena to Maternal
Love -- Explanation Inadequate -- The Power Exercised by Other Animals
-- Lizard and Butterfly -- Scorpion and Fly -- Stoats and Hares -- Foxes
and Pullets -- Eagle and Rabbit -- Attractive Power of Fire --
Entomologist's Bull's-eye Lamp -- Yard-fire in Alabama -- Insects come
to the Fire -- Titmouse around a Gas-lamp -- Bell Rock Lighthouse
visited by Herring-gull -- Fire Fascinates Toads in Africa, 242