94 



The British hibernators among the higher orders of animals are but 

 few in number. They are the badger, squirrel, field-mouse, dormouse, 

 vole or water-rat, and with one exception the bats ; some are inclined to 

 think the hedgehog also, but the author excluded this animal, saying he 

 had frequently seen it iu pastures searching for food when the snow was 

 lying deep upon the ground. 



It is a vexed question whether the stock of provisions, with which 

 the partial hibernators provide themselves, is really intended for consump- 

 tion during the winter, or for a vernal banquet upon finally awakening 

 from their long sleep, at which time it might be an act of difficulty to 

 provide at first a sufficiency of food. He referred to this strange habit 

 of storage at some length, and having considered the various quantities, 

 and keeping qualities of the stores, laid up by different creatures; he 

 said the preponderance of evidence was in favor of the hoards being 

 formed for temporary purposes only ; and that in a majority of instances 

 they were, even before the winter set in, requisitioned for food by their 

 owners. The accumulations made by bees and ants were noticed, as well 

 as the habits of those hibernating insects which made no store, but which 

 pass the winter in immediate proximity to their food, the opportunity 

 for nibbling at pleasure being thus afforded. 



The hibernation of snakes in companies, massed together for the 

 purpose of increasing their natural caloric heat, was considered as a 

 fortunate habit for us, as when a winter assemblage is discovered nearly 

 all fall victims. "Winter too, frequently closes the passage by which 

 entry was made to the cavity occupied ; and thus the means of exit from 

 the place of concealment is cut off. To the numerous slips of the land 

 in the Folkestone Warren of late years, the author attributed the greatly 

 decreased numbers of vipers in the last decade ; and not to any precarious 

 slaying of individual specimens. 



Other reptiles, fishes, including eels which latter mass together as 

 do the serpents, were then treated of, as well as the crustaceans and 

 centipedes. He spoke also of insects of various orders, including the 

 butterflies, eight of wliich often greet us with the March or April 

 sunshine, though they have frequently to retire to rest again, after 

 astonishing some few persons who do not know that this is not a sign of 

 spring, but only a temporary relaxation of the hibernating law : and he 

 showed that caterpillars hibernate at different ages, some even hatching 

 into life but declining to leave the eggshell for a season. 



In all these creatures it was explained that the internal animal-heat 

 could not be reduced much below the freezing point without death 

 speedily ensuing ; but that with a natural warmth of two degrees above 

 it for the higher orders, or five below for eels, many degrees of frost 

 could be resisted, so long as the internal fat which all hibernators possess 

 is not exhausted ; but when from whatever cause this supply ceases, and 

 a minimum of cold immediately succeeds the animal will succumb, 

 whether beast, bird, fish, or insect. Finally, the chemical changes fitting 



