f £ 168 3 



60 times in a minute the. fame Bat being awakened fo ,as 

 to fly weakly ; the thermometer applied in the fame manner 

 rofe to 38, and the heart beat 100 times in a minute. 



They have been, however, obferved to continue in their 

 torpid ftate when the thermometer, placed in the air, "hath been 

 at 48 r , which is ten degrees warmer than the animal when 

 awakened according to this experiment. 



Molt of the Bats roufed by irritation have not furvived more 

 than three days, but then it is ftated that the weather became 

 colder. Frequent attempts have been made to revive them after 

 this feeming death, but they have all proved ineffectual. 



Having defired Mr. Cornifh to make fome experiments with 

 an air-pump on torpid bats, he informs me that his apparatus 

 for that purpofe is not fo good as it mould be, but that he is 

 of opinion from fome imperfect trials, that they are not fo foon 

 affected by want of air, as other animals, which do not fleep 

 during the winter. 



That diftinguifhed anatomift Mr. John Hunter, having oc- 

 cafion to diflecl: bats during the winter, applied to me to pro- 

 cure him fome from Devonfhire, knowing that I had a corre- 

 fpondence with Mr. Cornifh, who could at any time refort to 

 their lurking places. 



I accordingly requefted Mr. Cornifh to fend up a dozen of 

 bats in their ftate of torpidity, which he was fo obliging as 

 to do by the next conveyance; but though he had packed them 

 with the greateft care, they died, as Mr. Cornifh apprehended, 

 before they reached London. The motion of the carriage pro- 



1 Mr. Cornifh, however, is not pofitive that there is any circulation 

 in the capillaries. He fuppofes, indeed, that the animal refpires, though 

 moft llowly and weakly. 



r Mr. Cornifh hath known inflances of their venturing out when the 

 thermometer was only at 42 in the open air. The puliation in a Bat, 

 during the fummer, is from 2 to 300, and the ball of the thermometer 

 being laid in its body, hath fometimes rifen 8 degrees. 



6 bably 



