152 WONDEBS OF OKGANIC LIFE. 



those of so great a philosopher. Alluding to 

 the tenrac, he says, " As in the cold zone the 

 deprivation of heat causes some animals to fall 

 into winter sleep, so the hot tropical countries 

 afford an analogous phenomenon, which has not 

 been sufficiently attended to, and to which I have 

 applied the name of summer sleep" (our word 

 aestivation means the same.) He then observes, 

 " Drought and continuous high temperature act 

 like the cold of winter in diminishing sen- 

 sibility." 



We have already said that we dislike the 

 terms hybernation and aestivation. They refer to 

 atmospheric temperature ; whereas we ought to 

 seek for some term which applies to the con- 

 dition of the animal itself, requiring (as all 

 animals do more or less, for all hybernate or 

 activate, whether they sleep or not) a repose 

 for the invigoration of the mysterious vital 

 principle. Such a term as life-sleep (Hypnobion 

 ■ — vttvos, sleep, and £10$, life) would not be 

 inappropriate. 



