50 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESVVOLD CLUB 



difference in the effect, and therefore in the activities of 

 the digestive organs. It is a condition of ap})ropriated 

 somnolence. The bat, being insectivorous, would rouse 

 himself in vain, when the snow whitens the ground or the 

 cut of the skates rings clear. 



The hedgehog which on some unusually warm morning 

 might find a few slugs or worms — even the dormouse a 

 nut or two amongst the leaves fallen from the filbert trees — 

 are not enticed out for any time, until as a rule, the increase 

 in temperature tells them of a coming period of love and 

 food and general enjoyment, and they then leave their 

 hibernacula. They are not in any hurry to do this. It 

 seems that the bat is not disposed to really wake up, 

 except by reason of external warmth and excitement. If 

 the air temperature be about 40° to 50", the hedgehog 

 rouses itself at various intervals from two to four days, 

 when after taking food it will return to its hibernaculum. 

 At the same temperature the dormouse will wake up 

 daily. In proportion also to surrounding temperature, as 

 we might expect, the action of the stomach, bowels, and 

 kidneys of hibernating animals is almost, in varying degrees, 

 I admit, suspended, as also that of respiration. This is 

 proved by the absence of all detectible respiratory acts — 

 by the absence of any but the slightest change in the air 

 as tested by the pneumatometer — l)y the ca[)abilitv of 

 supporting for a time the entire or nearly entire depriva- 

 tion of air. 



When, e.g., placed in a box, during its hibernation, the 

 slightest knock caused the bat inside to r('S})ire more 

 quickly, the hedgehog in a similar condition resj)ired 

 deeply and sonorously. If touched, it can be ascertained 

 whether the. last-named animal is hibernating or not. 

 It hibernating, he responds with a snore, if not hibernating 

 moves and rolls himself up more tightly. After the deej) 

 respiration, there are some gradually more and more 

 feeble ones, and then apparently, quiescence. The bat 



