In a final anecdote from the animal world, a chicken became known as “Miracle Mike” in the mid twentieth century after it survived an attempted beheading on the chopping block. Although the only thing left above the neck was the brain stem and one ear, the chicken was kept alive by his owner who, seeing his resiliency, decided to spare the chicken and put food and water directly into his neck via an eyedropper. Mike lived for another two years with no head, otherwise walked and behaved normally, and even toured with a circus. In Mike's case, it would seem impossible to argue that its
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