IN DECEMBER. 273 



advances in the progress towards universal gloom 

 and desolation. The day rapidly shortens, and the 

 weather becomes foul and cold. 



In our climate, however, no great and continued 

 severity of cold usually takes place before the close 

 of the month. 



Several of the wild quadrupeds now take to their 

 winter concealments, which they either seldom ov 

 never quit during the winter. Of these, some are 

 in an absolutely torpid or sleeping state, taking no 

 food for a considerable time; others are only drowsy 

 and inactive, and continue to feed on provisions 

 which they have hoarded up. In this country few 

 become entirely torpid. 



Bats retire early to caves and holes, where they 

 remain the whole winter, suspended by their hind 

 feet, and closely wrapped up in the membranes of the 

 fore feet. As their food is chiefly insects', they can 

 lay up no store for the winter, and therefore must 

 be starved, if nature did not thus render food unne- 

 cessary for them. Dormice also lie torpid the great- 

 est part of the winter, though they lay up stores of 

 provision. A warm day sometimes revives them ; 

 when they eat a little, but soon relapse into their for- 

 mer sleepy condition. 



Squirrels, and various kinds of field-mice, provide 

 magazines of food against winter, but are not known 

 to become torpid. The badger, the hedgehog, and 

 the mole, keep close in their winter quarters in the 

 northern regions, and sleep away great part of the 

 season. 



