90 



jured after a long period of imprisonment. Spallan- 

 zani confined torpid marmots for four hours, in media 

 of carbonic acid gas and hydrogene, without injury, 

 while they perished when awakened in the gases. 

 The same philosopher found no eudiometric change on 

 several cubic inches of atmospheric air, ^after torpid 

 bats and marmots had remained in it three hours. In 

 1795, Spallanzani found that torpid dormice, after 

 being exposed to a temperature below freezing, re- 

 mained uninjured in media of carbonic acid gas and 

 azote over mercury ; the internal surface of the glass 

 was not dimmed by any moisture, consequently breath- 

 ing must have been suspended. Sir J. E. Smith, Pre- 

 sident of the Linnean Society, has found that the 

 respiration of a tortoise in winter was always slower 

 than in summer. It may therefore be fairly concluded, 

 that, in torpidity, respiration ceases. 



IV, Mr. Hunter introduced food into the stomachs 

 of lizards before torpidity was determined, and, on 

 being subsequently examined during this period, it 

 was found unaltered. In the case of the dormouse, 

 marmot, and others, no food is taken immediately 

 before torpidity commences, and at the close of tor- 

 pidity, in spring, the stomach and intestinal canal are 

 found empty. We find a similar fact in respect to 

 the tortoise, which does not take any sustenance for 

 some time before it becomes torpid, and rejects food 

 also for a short period after it recovers from its lethar- 

 gic state. Martial says, of the dormouse, 



" Tota mihi dormitur hyems, et pinguior illo 

 Tempore sum, quo me nil nisi somnus alit." 



Now, though the dormouse does not become fatter 

 during torpidity, it may be considered as in good con- 



