The first one to notice this phenomenon was Daniel Schwenter who, in 1036, fascinated a number of cocks and hens. Fr. Kircher, a Jesuit priest, made a number of scientific experiments ten years later.

Animals can be hypnotized in a direct ratio to their ability to concentrate their attention. This varies much in the different species. It is, as a rule, more marked in the domestic animals than in wild ones.

Certain animals have the power of fascinating their prey, but to what extent has not been fully determined. The ability that a cat has to hold the attention of a bird is doubtless familiar to all. Assisted by a student, I have made a number of experiments in this direction, and if his observations be correct, the eye of a cat occupies the same relation to a bird that a bright coin does to a man. The cat's pupils become dilated in watching a bird, and the bird, although flying in circles during the most of the time, keeps its eyes fixed as far as possible upon those of the cat.

Some years ago I purchased a stuffed cat. A student hid it in some bushes on a farm so that the head, eyes and fore-paws were mainly visible, while the rest of the body was concealed. A bird sitting on a tree, as soon as it perceived the stuffed cat, first appeared to be frightened, then began flying in circles around the cat, each successive circle smaller than the last.

Finally the bird lit upon the ground within fourteen inches of the cat's face, and looked steadily into its glass eyes. Its attention was fixed, its pupils somewhat dilated, and so absorbed was it that it did not fly until the student, stepping carefully, passed between it and the cat. This experiment was repeated on nine different occasions with different birds and the same phenomenon was obtained eight times.

Snakes have also the power to fascinate frogs and little birds. But they do not often do so. Mr. Vincent says, out of a hundred frogs put into a snake's cage only six were in any way fascinated; the others jumped wildly about till they were caught by the snake. Probably the condition of fascination was a condition of fascination from fear.

It seems unreasonable to compare this fascination, which may be the natural consequences of extreme fright, with the catalepsy induced by means of pressure on the nerves.

Snakes also can be hypnotized. Snake-charmers are able to fascinate them by means of music, and they induce the snakes to imitate as far as possible their movements. It is generally said that in cases of snake-charming the fangs are extracted.

It is questionable as to whether this "fascination" is not the result, in most cases, of training.

The student previously mentioned, placed a small looking-glass near the habitation of a snake indigenous to this climate. Coming out of its hole one day it perceived the glass, fixed its eyes upon it, and remained in this condition, apparently oblivious to all other conditions. The student caught it while it was in this position, released it again, and tried on subsequent days to approach it when the glass was not there, but found that he could not do so without the snake giving evidence of a knowledge of his presence.

It is a familiar trick with children to catch a hen, hold her head near the ground, and draw a hue with a piece of chalk, then releasing her head she will continue for some time in the position in which she was placed, and finally slowly walk away as though arousing herself from the condition of stupor. 5

A hen can also be made to sit or to transfer her nest by means of a well-known expedient. The head is placed under the wing, and the bird is then gently rocked to and fro, with the result that it apparently goes to sleep. On waking, the hen will remain contentedly on the nest in which she has been placed.

It is not easy to catch a pigeon by going straight up to the bird, hut it can be quickly taken by walking around and around it. The pigeon turns itself so as not to lose sight of its would-be captor, and soon it can be seized. This has been quoted as a hypnosis but there is no doubt that the bird becomes dazed and giddy.

Many claim that animals can be held at bay by simply holding their gaze. Illustrative of this Mr. Vincent says, "On one occasion I succeeded in compelling a 'jibbing' horse to 'back' by simply fixing my eyes on his, and then walking toward him. On my taking my eyes from him, he, glad to bo released, immediately started off in the proper direction, and the driver on that journey had no more difficulty with him."

A veterinary surgeon assures me that horses are very susceptible to hypnosis, and that while in this state they are susceptible to a very large amount of suggestion. He claims that when horses are hypnotized by compelling them to look at a bright object, suggestion will act powerfully upon them, and that they give evidence that suggestion may take the form of a delusion. He did not cite any cases.

I have experimented on a very intelligent dog, but failed to get evidence that it could be hypnotized.

The phenomenon that apparently resembles the trance state by nerve-stimulation is seen in the simulated death of animals. A notable instance is that of the opossum in our own land which, when frightened, will lie apparently dead, as is well-known to all southern people.

Various experiments have been tried upon frogs. They will remain, after they have been placed there and held there, for some time in positions which are unnatural. In this their positions resemble the artificial catalepsy which can be induced by suggestion. As is well known a hypnotized person will hold his arm in any position he is told to, but the comparison between a frog lying upon his back after he has been held there for some time, and the catalepsy which can be induced by suggestion upon a hypnotized subject, seems to me very strained. The frog is probably stunned or frightened, while this is not the case with a hypnotized person.

This trance state in animals may generally be induced by monotonous excitation of particular nerves or by constant pressure.

Scientific interest attaches mainly to the apparent death, while life still continues, of many insects. This condition is evidently in their case an act of the brain in its higher centres.

The psychic states of the lower animals present a very wide field for experimentation and study. How nearly their conscious life approximates in function and phenomena, our own, we as yet do not know. From a large experience in the study of the intelligence of animals, I personally believe that the higher orders of them possess in a minor degree, all the faculties which belong to the human mind. Dr. H. Seawood, in his admirable work upon Materia Medica and Therapeutics, states that the drugs which act upon man, producing delirium, very frequently act upon the lower animals, producing convulsions. He explains this by the fact that in the animals the cerebrum is less highly developed, hence the centres of the lower brain and spinal cord have to bear the brunt of the action of the drug.

It is well known to all physiologists that when these centres are stimulated and when the inhibition of the cerebrum is withdrawn, convulsions result. It does not seem strange then that animals should be easily made unconscious (entranced) by music, loud noises, fright, etc. It is claimed by the French school that hysterical persons are frequently atavistic. That is, their nervous development has reverted to the state resembling one of the evolutionary forms of man. These persons, so it is said by the school of Nancy, will frequently be hypnotized by any sudden shock to their senses, such as the blow upon a gong, the bright flash of a light, etc.