80 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE 



There seems to be no doubt, however, that many 

 species of fish do hibernate. Turning to warm-blooded 

 animals (komoiothermers), it is thought that while the 

 brown bear of Europe and the badger sleep most of the 

 time in winter, they do not hibernate in the same sense 

 as e.g. the dormouse. The black bear is believed to 

 hibernate, though definite information about the winter 

 life of this creature and other American bears generally 

 would be very welcome. The hedgehog is regarded as 

 a true hibernater the winter long. It is known that 

 the tenrec of Madagascar sleeps for three months in his 

 burrow during the hottest part of the year. It is, 

 however, among the rodents that we must look for the 

 most perfect hibernation ; and the porcupine, the 

 hamster, the dormouse, the marmot and, as some think, 

 the squirrels, are the best known examples. But if the 

 hibernation of the bat is not the most perfect, it seems 

 to have been about the best studied, for Marshall Hall's 

 investigations of sixty years ago are still to be regarded 

 as classic. 



In consequence of reference to this subject in a 

 paper on Squirrels, read before the Society in 1887, and 

 my appeals for assistance in the study of this wide 

 subject (in which one person can do comparatively 

 little of himself, at least in ascertaining those modifica- 

 tions which apply for different latitudes and conditions), 

 I have been able to obtain some definite information as 

 regards the winter sleep of squirrels especially. 



J. P. Bishop, Professor of Science in the State 

 Normal School of Buffalo, KY., writes me : 



"Regarding hibernation, I seriously doubt whether the Red 

 Squirrel, in the latitude of Central N.Y., ever really hibernates. 

 I have seen him out at all times of the winter, and in all kinds of 

 weather, even when the thermometer recorded temperatures 

 below zero and the air was full of snow. But he is much more 

 lively in warm days, which he prefers for feeding. The Grey 

 Squirrel is more sensitive to cold, but will come out upon 

 almost any warm day in the winter." 



