414 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



the same muscles of the Striped-gopher treated in Hke manner, 

 at the same time, yielded 30 per cent. 



''As it is well known that the flesh of reptiles is rich in 

 albumen, I procured several marsh frogs and subjected the 

 gluteal muscles to like analysis, which resulted in 40 per cent, 

 of loss. The following will convey to the eye these results: 



Per cent, of soluble albumen: Frog, 40; Gopher, 30; 

 Squirrel, 20. 



"On the 15th of December, the Gopher being thoroughly 

 torpid, temperature of the room 45, Gopher rolled up like a 

 ball, no visible evidence of life, I opened the abdomen and in- 

 serted the bulb of a thermometer, which indicated 58 degrees. 

 I next turned back the sternum in such a manner as to expose 

 the heart and lungs. The remarkable congested condition of 

 these organs first attracted my attention. In fact, it would ap- 

 pear as if the blood had all collected within the thorax. The 

 pulsation of the heart was reduced to four each minute, the 

 auricles would slowly and imperfectly contract, followed im- 

 mediately by the ventricles. These slow pulsations of the 

 heart occupied four seconds. There was no visible respiration, 

 the lungs remaining almost entirely passive. The heart con- 

 tinued to pulsate without perceptible change for fifteen minutes, 

 and then when raised from its position it continued to pulsate 

 for some time, being almost reptilian in this respect. During 

 hibernation the circulation is so feeble that when a limb is 

 amputated but a few drops of blood will slowly ooze from the 

 fresh wound. The stomach and bowels empty, and the body 

 was enclosed in a thick adipose layer. I was not able to excite 

 the least motion or contraction of the muscles in any way, even 

 by pinching or cutting nerves, showing the most perfect condi- 

 tion of anaesthesia possible. 



"During hibernation the Gopher is not able to endure 

 more than 6 degrees or 8 degrees of frost. The manifestations 

 of life are so feebly performed that a few degrees below freezing 

 is sufficient to convert apparent death into reality. On the loth 

 of April, at which time the first Gopher appears above ground, 

 I repeated the experiment of the previous autumn. Body 



