HIBERNATION 



were simply asleep in the ordinary sense of that condition, 

 and not in a state of hibernation at all, for all the noise 

 and rattling is insufficient to rouse it from its lethargy. 



An instance occurred to some pet marmots which our 

 servant found one cold morning fast asleep, and believing 

 them dead, consigned them to the dust-hole. They were, 

 however, rescued before they were quite buried in the 

 ashes that follow in the usual course of funerals. 



Many animals sleep soundly, and may be regarded as 

 dormant, but not torpid ; but animals in a perfect state 

 of hibernation are not only dormant, but torpid, a state in 

 which the animal's temperature is much lowered ; the 

 respiration and circulation, together with the digestive 

 functions, nearly cease, and the organs of secretion and 

 excretion are inactive. In this condition but little air is 

 required. This is clearly shown by the experiments 

 published by Dr. Marshall Hall, p. 776 : " The respiration 

 continues low, the temperature falls, and the animal can 

 bear, for a short period, the abstraction of atmospheric 

 air." 



This calls strongly to mind the fact that the rough 

 labouring population, who are possessed of enormous 

 strength, which enables them to continue the most 

 laborious work in mines and dismal places, sleep, when 

 nature requires rest, the apparent sleep of death, in the 

 most foul and stifling atmosphere, and wake up with the 

 strength of refreshed giants. Whatever may be said or 

 thought upon the necessity of well-ventilated and airy 

 sleeping rooms, the fact of a large mass of our species 

 living and doing well in a totally dififerent state remains 

 yet to be explained. Many generations of these powerful 

 and robust men have existed without any apparent 

 diminution in strength or courage, like bears and lions 

 sleeping in caves and loathsome places. Contrast their 



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