86 ANIMALCULA OF INFUSIONS. I. 



loft, and becaufe the blood probably circulates 

 in the larger veifels only. Such does this author 

 fuppofe the immediate caufe of torpidity in thefe 

 four animals ; and he extends it to marmots, and 

 all others fubjeft to torpor, as he is convmced 

 their blood is cold (i). 



I could have wiflied that fo plaufible an hypo- 

 thefis had been true ; but I have never found it 

 accord with fads. In the firft place, it is not 

 the cafe that every animal becoming torpid has 

 cold blood. Hedgehogs, marmots, and bats 

 certainly are not fo. Haller, who ha? differed 

 feveral hedgehogs, fays pofitively, he has always 

 found their blood warm. Lifter, Robinfon, and 

 Lancifi affirm the fame (2). I moft fully aifent 

 to the opinion of thefe illuftrious phyfiologifts. 

 The blood of three hedgehogs differed by me 

 was warm ; fo have I found that of bats. M. 

 de Buffon's method was ufed to afcertain it. He 

 introduced the ball of a fmall thermometer into 

 the body of dormice by the mouth. He never 

 faw the fluid rife : On the contrary, it funk 

 fometimes one and fometimes two degrees ; an 

 evident fign that the blood was cold. But when- 

 ever I introduced the thermometer into the mouth 

 of hedge-hogs and bats, the fluid rofe to 99°, and 

 even 102^, if kept eight or ten minutes, which 



demonftrates 



■ (i) Hiftolre Naturelle, Tom. i6. 17. 

 (2) Phyf. Tom. 2. 



