SECTION 9.OBSERVA TION. 79 



at all. (3) They do not all retire at the same time. Most of the true 

 hibernators take to their 'hibernaculum', or winter hole a burrow, a 

 hollow tree, a cave, the eaves of a house, or similar situation in late 

 autumn, varying the date slightly according to weather. But the great 

 bat is rarely seen after September, and often retires as early as the end 

 of July, when its insect food is abundant. (4) All of them do not sleep 

 the same length of time, or with the same torpidity, and several indulge 

 in hibernation and waking alternatively during the winter. The squirrel, 

 in Britain, lies dormant most of the cold season; but on sunshiny days 

 it often wakes, visits its hoards of food, eats freely, and then retires to 

 rest again. The hedgehog is sometimes S3en during the winter; and on 

 sunshiny days the common bat often emerges from its hibernaculum, and 

 flits about even when snow is on the ground. The dormouse also at 

 intervals wakes up, eats, and goes to sleep. Other animals, like the long- 

 tailed field-mouse, pass the winter in a drowsy state not far removed 

 from dormancy. There are thus all gradations between continuous winter 

 dormancy and the ordinary daily sleep of a few hours in which every 

 animal indulges. There is also every degree of torpidity exhibited. The 

 hedgehog and the dormouse may be rolled over and over like a ball, 

 without waking, and the black bear of America is extremely difficult to 

 arouse out of its winter' sleep. On the other hand, the brown bear of 

 Siberia hibernates lightly, and is very dangerous when awakened. The 

 hedgehog, if disturbed, 'takes a deep sonorous inspiration followed by a 

 few feeble respirations, and then by total quiescence'. This differs from 

 the stirring and then coiling itself up again which is the animal's way 

 when awakened out of an ordinary sleep. But, though sensation and 

 volition are dormant, the reflex and excitor-motory actions are keen, the 

 slightest touch applied to the spine of a hedgehog or to the wings of a 

 bat inducing one or two inspiratory movements. But the hibernating 

 badger is not difficult to reawake, and in its torpor, like all hibernating 

 animals, is not rigid. (5) Continuous hibernators do not lay in stores of 

 food. Intermittent winter-sleepers generally do, while some animals which 

 are not true hibernators, but remain only drowsy during the winter, 

 retire to their burrows to pass the days of famine above ground 

 amidst their abundant nuts and other provender. All of these food-storers 

 are vegetable-eaters. The arctic fox is indeed the only exception to this 

 rule, for though it is not any more than the beaver a hibernator, it hoards 

 up dead lemmings, ermines, geese, hares, etc., against the evil days of 

 winter. An exception to intermittent hibemators being thus provident is 

 afforded by the porcupine and the alpine marmot." (Chambers' Ency- 

 clopaedia, article '"Hibernation", by Robert Browne.) 



An eloquent defence of observation as an invaluable scientific 

 asset is contained in a paper on "The Characteristics of the 

 Observational Sciences", which was read before the British Asso- 

 ciation in 1911 by Prof. H.H. Turner, President of the Mathe- 

 matics Section. Prof. Turner admirably expresses the point of 

 view we adopt: 



"The perception of the need for observations, the faith that something 

 will come of them, and skill and energy to act on that faith these 

 qualities, all of which are possessed by any observer worthy the name, 

 have at least as much to do with the advance of Science as the formula- 

 tion of a theory, even of a correct theory. The work of the observer is 

 often forgotten it lies at the root of the plant; it is easier to notice the 

 theories which blossom, and ultimately produce the fruit. But without 

 the patient work of the observer underground there would be neither 

 blossom nor fruit." 



