46 



that in this state the inhabitant is without animal 

 heat, nutrition, respiration or circulation, and ut- 

 terly devoid of all animal organic formation, ob- 

 serving in testimony, that they may be immerged 

 in water during the winter, and yet recover them- 

 selves in the spring. This would suppose not 

 only the utter extinction of vital existence, and 

 actual death, but an annual reviviscence and re- 

 generation of life ; a doctrine quite at variance 

 with our knowledge of the laws of physiology as 

 applicable to animated nature. 

 But upon examination it will appear, that in the 

 centre of this epiphragm is an exceedingly minute 

 orifice, communicating with an umbilical chord, 

 which is connected with a fine placenta-like tissue 

 of vessels penetrating into the pulmonary cavity 

 itself. And this minute orifice, although not large 

 enough to admit a drop of water, is of sufficient 

 capacity for the passage of that quantity of oxy- 

 genated air necessary for the purposes of extremely 

 slow but not totally extinct respiration. If this 

 orifice be covered over with a coat of wax or 

 varnish so that all possible connexion with exter- 

 nal air be excluded, animal life becomes altogether 

 extinguished, never to be again restored. We 

 have observed this minute puncture in the winter 

 covering of the H. Ericetorum and some others ; 



