S8 



taken recently transformed beetles out of decayed wood, that showed unmistakable signs 

 of life, but were very lethargic, and they have resisted the fumes of strong cyanide for 

 three days — no doubt the result of feeble respiration —although some claim that it i& 

 difficult to kill some insects at any time, until they have fulfilled the functions of their 

 existence. But then again I have seen water beetles in a pond where cattle were watered, 

 qiiite lively under the ice, and when the ice was cut, the pressure above produced a rush 

 of water that brought beetles with it, and when they were tossed out on the ice they were 

 dead instantly. That could not have been the result of contact with the ice, but from 

 expo.sure to the frosty air. Dr. McCook in his " American S[)iders and their Spinning 

 Work," gives an account of some experiments made by him, with a view to discover the 

 effects of low tem[)erature upon them, from which he draws the following conclusions : — 

 Vol. If, p. 435 : " It would seem, therefore, first, that the hibernation of spiders, of this 

 species at least, is not accompanied with a great degree of torpidity; second, they preserve 

 their activity and spinning habit while exposed to cold ranging from the freezing point 

 to zero Fahr. ; third, that alter long and severe exposure the recovering of complete 

 activity, when brought into a warm temperature, is very rapid, almost immediate ; and 

 fourth, that on the return of spring, even after a prolonged and severe winter, they at 

 once resume the habits of their kind." 



" In all the above specimens the abdomens were full, indicating perfect health. 

 Other spiders hung upon their webs with shrivelled abdomens, quite dead. . . . The 

 living individuals were all characterized by the plump abdomen, as though there had been 

 little or no absorption of tissues for nourishment of life. There appeared to be no 

 growth during hibernation." 



It is quite evident that a great increase to our knowledge, obtained by careful 

 observations, is yet required before any general coiclusion-j can be safely drawn, yet this 

 much seems to be clearly established : That there are many insects, in sjm-j stage of^ their 

 existence which cm and do saccsssfully resist the action of the severest frosts to which 

 they are exposed in our latitude. 



That these could be congealed by severer frost is quite probable ; but that they 

 would .survive such freezing is yet open to doubt. That some are solidified by severe 

 frosts and yet survive, is qcite possible, but the evideiue ou this point is still defecbive. 



I copy the following from the Smithsonian report for 1887, article Zoology, p. 479, 

 and give it for what it is worth. It is entitled : " Minimum L fe Temperatures." '* A 

 series of experiments upon various animals have been made by Dr. H. V^on Thering in ex- 

 tension of Professor Poachet's researches on the resistances which animals may offer to 

 cold. About two dozen worms, arthropods, and mollusk.s, were made the subject of in- 

 vestigation. The results have been summarized in the following terms : 



(1) '* Lower animals become frozen at temperatures varying greatly in the different 

 genera and spi^cies, the resistance varies with the actual body-heit of the animal, with its 

 size, structure, and protective covering, with the freezing point of blood, etc." 



(2) " The resistance usually increases with progressive development, but sometimea 

 the adults are more sensitive than the young." 



(3) " Nothing can be directly inferred from the geographical distribution." 

 (•i) " Perfectly frozen animals are never revivified." 



Shall we add, " In his latitude 1" 



But there is an important economic side to this subject, as well as one of purely- 

 scientific interest. The opinion prevails extensively amongst those that are mo.st liable 

 to suffer from the depredations of insects, that steady severe frost in winter will greatly 

 reduce their numbers, and thereby save them labor and loss the following summer ; 

 which is far from being the case. Those that have given the matter consideration know 

 that such a winter is protective of insect life ; it is mild, open winters that are most injuri- 

 ous. A large number of Lepidopfcerous insects pass the winter in the egg and pupal 

 stages, and when warm weather in winter is sufficiently prolonged to start these toward 



