HYBERNATION. 



Ar!nul 







and hetw <.f soppoiing them tle production 



of new moultings, we consider them as resulting from 

 the action of the generative impulse on the colouring 



In attempting to account for these phenomena of na- 

 tnre, it has generally been supposed, that these periodi- 

 cal change) of colour take place, to enable the animals 

 more readily to escape from their prey during the win- 

 ter season. 'Thus Montagu, in reference to this subject, 

 has the following reflections : " Here we perceive the 

 ptarmigan invariably effect this curious, and, we may 



iost pro vidential change ; for if the young of those 

 birds at first assumed their snowy whiter plumage, 

 while yet the surface of the ground was not consonant 

 with their colour, few would escape the piercing eye of 

 the falcon or the eagle, in the loAy and exposed situa- 

 tions they are found to inhabit." To suppose that in 

 winter the ptarmigan i* rendered white, to cause it to re- 

 semble the snow and deceive birds of prey, and that the 

 alpine hare undergoes ssmUar changss for the same pur- 

 pose, would be to yield our assent to public opinion. But 

 all our conclusions concerning final causes ought to bethe 

 rr^ilt of very extended observations; and ifourobserva- 



on this subject are extended, some difficulties will 

 present themselves. If this white colour yields protection 

 to the ptarmigan ami alpine hare, it must enable the er- 

 mine, an animal well qualified to provide tar its wants 

 t all time*, by iti determined boldness, extreme agility, 

 ami exquisite smell, to prey with gi 



fenceless neighbours. "" - 



< * . . i a I 1 



ter 



propriety be termed iiaringa*imais. as they nil possess 



the industry so beautifully expressed by VjrgH. which lay 



VntmntfU lurmit memarei trMatr luborrm 

 iiiT, ft in mxdium f ior<ua rij limit 



astheobpct houat 

 tcsaUyasthe snost 



c, is afforded to the black guillemot, during the win- 

 .-, by its mottled plumage, or to the little auk by its 

 white chfn, since the whiter they become, so much the 

 more unlike the dark colour of the water? Protection 

 from foe, therefore, cannot be 



On MffttW IB uuwuW wluH0unW~ ^***^j ~"~"T"~ " ' " ' J ~~~ ~~~~ 



f of rnUwr, .Iw.ys from Urk to white, does not 

 vever different the habits and even stations of 

 the animals may be 



Perhaps the laws of rhcrni-try may furnish us with a 



more consistent and plausible plsnation If the radi- 



ntmg power of bodies with regard to heat be inversely as 



thf;rrrflc<tm ? ,v,wer,aeoclsjsionvrygnssJlyadsis>. 



the white winter dross of those animals must 



he (tetter calculated tor retaining the heat gansiasod in 



Sxlir. by than any other co- 



loured tftrcw wnicn WOWKI IMMBCVM jfmur rM8i4VOB 



bttte to the r-duction of their tunauatun. it is pro. 

 bMr. therefore, that these changes in the quantity and 



< ' r < t IP c 1 th ""' c aivmaU rr l**ifiici! lv n- 



ture to regulate their ts 

 SUM of the year. 



This class of hybernating animals contains but few 

 species. These are all phytivorous, and, without ex- 

 ception, belong to the natural tribe of Glires orGnawers. 

 All the animals of this tribe do not possess this storing 

 inclination, although it is certainly observable in many 

 of them. 



Of all those animals, whose industry in collecting, 

 and wisdom in preserving a winter store, have at- 

 tracted the BMKtos of nan kind, the beaver stands pre- Bearer, 

 eminently onnsaiioniss But, as the habits of thai 

 gular animal have been detailed under the article Mr \- 

 VER, we forbear in this place to reconsider the subject. 

 we rather wish to confine our remarks to Bri- 

 tish animals, wherever the subject will permit, we se- 

 lect as an example of this kind of hybernation, the 

 rommnsi squirrel, (Scamr iWrar). This active little Squirrel. 

 animal prepares its winter habitation among the large 

 branches of an old tree. After making choice of the 

 place where the timber is beginning to decay, nml win re 

 a hollow may be easily Harmed, it scoops out with its 

 teeth a suitable magazine. Into this store-house, acorns, 

 nuts, and other fruits are industriously conveyed, and 

 Ibis granary is held sacred until 

 of the wnathn lias limited the range of 

 tly diminished its op- 

 It than begins to enjoy 

 the fruits of its industry, and to live contentedly in its 



of mice seem to Mic. 



(trovisions ; even the 

 field mouse is the 

 Says the pious and mtelli. 

 gent Diihssu, " I have in autumn, not without plea- 

 sure, observed, not only the great sagacity and dili- 

 gence of twine, in hunting out the stores of the field 

 mice, but the wonderful precautions also of those little- 

 animals, in hiding their food before hand against win- 

 ii the lime of aoorns falling, I have, by mean* 

 of the hugs, discovered that the mk had, all o\.-r the 

 neighbouring Jalds. treasured up single acorns in little 

 hobs they bad scratched, and in which they had care, 

 fully covered up the acorn. These the hogs wouki, 

 day after day, hunt out by their smell. ' 



ug birds, reptile*, and fishes, no examples are 

 of this kind of hybernation. The bee, among 

 is an interesting example, but requiring no ex- 



the inferior classes. 



Brine animals are destined to live 

 of the veRetable kingdom, we wit- 



elevated dwelling. AH the species 

 possets the inrltnalian to lay up pro 

 house moose and the rat ; but the fi 



rn\p. IT. 



HvsrrtN \TiN<. AVIT \r> wni< H MY vp A STOCK or 

 PROVISION*. 



T 

 last 



fortabl 



proM- 



i of Mature in 



ii'C to tlicm 



By this faculty, existence is com. 

 under circumstances which would 



ly maintained, 



fatal without it The seeds of many plants are 

 translated by them from the places of their growth, 



bemtu>n of which we treated in the 



1 



we are now to con "l.-r. In common with those 

 anim.i' they obtsa: lothinp. while 



from them in being poidnt of futurity. 

 They collect with care the Mpevohmwhrnt productions 

 of autumn, and dispc-e of them in such a manner, 

 as to famish a supply '!' food when the fruits and 

 fowm are destroyed (>y the frost. Such may with 



extensively disseminated. But how are we 

 far the conduct of those animals, in thus 

 for a futurity, who have never sufrred front 

 xpsrioucs, aa roust be the case with young ani- 

 when the bounties of nature are 

 so profusely, they should subject themcelvos 

 t much labour, in heaping up a treasure for supply- 

 ing the deficiences of a winter, of whose accompany- 

 ing privations they are ignorant. Part of this industry 

 may, in thaw ssitsnaU which ace gregarious, be the r*. 



