Notes aftd Observations 245 



The Vampire bats are undoubtedly bloodthirsty animals, 

 but whether in other respects they show any ferocity of 

 character may be in question. 



Squirrels' 1 Marriage. — Squirrels pair, and marriage with them 

 lasts for life. They are very attentive to their young and 

 the family remain with the parents until spring, when the 

 young establish themselves independently. It must be re- 

 membered, however, that the greater part of the winter is 

 spent in partial hibernation. Squirrels are provident in 

 storing food both for use when they wake in winter and for 

 the early spring when there is but little to be had. 



The Hedgehog and Tenrec. An Illustration of Laws of Inheritance. 

 — Amongst the British animals w T hich hibernate the hedgehog 

 stands first, for its sleep is complete and lasts the whole 

 winter. It is of great interest to note, as an instance of family 

 heredity which altered external conditions have not been able 

 to overcome, that the Tenrec and its allies, which are related to 

 the hedgehogs but natives of Madagascar, also spend half 

 the year asleep. It was reported that they slept in summer, 

 but this was a mistake. They begin their sleep, it is true, 

 in June, but this in Madagascar is the beginning of the cooler 

 part of the year. There is, however, never cold sufficient to 

 necessitate hibernation. It is practically summer all the 

 year through. 



We have here a most interesting example of the hereditary 

 survival of habit. The tenrec and the hedgehog are no doubt 

 descended from a common stock which had, probably in 

 a cold climate, acquired the habit of hibernation, and in 

 countries so distant and under conditions so dissimilar they 

 have retained it through countless ages. They have also 

 at the same time retained structural peculiarities which sub- 

 stantiate their pedigree. 



