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MISCELLANEOUS NOTICES. 
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cxh-emity of the island Tras always insulated at Hgh 
water, a naiTow, sandy stiip of valley, running N. W. 
and S. E. about two niiles, which sepai'ated it from the 
east of the island, being always flooded by the sea. 
When Sir John Doyle was governor, he eonceived the 
possibility of reclaiming the valley from the sea, by 
embankments at either extremity, which were soon 
eifected, at a cost of about i.7,000 — the reclaimed land 
being afterwards sold at a great profit. Close behind 
the north-western embankment, however, a salt-water 
pond of about an acre remained, and which was affected 
by the ebbing and flowing of the tide. In the progress 
of erecting buildings, sand was taken from its banks, 
and the pond increased to about thi-ee acres, in which 
state it came, with some adjoining land, into the pos- 
session of Mr. J. P. Arnold. The pond is in parts, six 
and seven feet deep ; it communicates, by sluices, with 
the sea, and the fishennen having been requested to throw 
into it such live iish as were too small for the market, it 
now contains an abundant supply of all the species formd 
upon the coast. Grey Mullet and Eels seem the most 
abundant ; but there are plenty of Bream, Plaice, Brill, 
Soles, Skate, Turbot, Basse, and Smelts. — J. S. B. 
Hyhenmiion.— -The periodic character of the pheno- 
mena of the natural world has afforded a most ample and 
interesting iield for the speculation of the philosopher and 
the researches of the natm'alist. Though both may have 
been baffled in their efforts to explain the causes of 
things, they have, nevertheless, established the know- 
ledge of a series of most exciting and interesting facts. 
Generally, it has been more easy to interpret and ex- 
plain those phenomena considered as belonging pecu- 
liarly to the inorganic kingdom, or that of dead matter ; 
while those presented to us in the complex action and 
diversified functions of the living forms of matter, 
whether of the animal kingdom or of the more simple 
types of the vegetable creation, have invariably led to 
much difference of opinion as being necessarily veiled 
in much ambiguity of conception, and imperfect descrip- 
tion. 
Of the periodic manifestations of natiwe considered 
both as affecting organic and inorganic bodies, those 
which arise from the diurnal revolution of omr globe on 
its axis, constitutiug the distinct and definite periods of 
day and night, are the most stiiking. The busy, cease- 
less hum of the activity of high noon, contrasted with 
the deep repose of night — silence how dead ! — darkness 
how profound ! — creation sleeps ! — 'tis as if the general 
pulse of life stood still, and nature made a pause — an 
awful pause, prophetic of the end ! 
Yet this almost temporary death is restored by the 
morrow's dawn. And, curious as is the inquiry into 
the cause of this sleep, as requisite for the well-being 
of man, no less curious is the consideration of that 
winter sleep, peculiar to certain kinds of animals, and 
which is commonly expressed by the term Hyberna- 
tion. There are comparatively few of om- native 
mammalia which hybemate ; but the phenomena of 
hybernation are witnessed in all the Chelonian, Sam-ian, 
Ophidian, and Batrachian animals. They also occur in 
some moUuso and insect groups. The length of time 
diuring which it continues is very various, ranging from 
four to seven, or even eight, months. It has, however, 
been remarked that all revive either in March or April. 
The Jumping Mouse of Canada {Geriittos canadensis) 
lies rolled up in a ball of clay for a period between 
seven and eight months. This state of repose, or sus- 
pension, of the animal, and in a considerable degree of 
all the organic functions, is not identical with sleep ; 
nor does it present invariably the same phenomena in 
the different animals which are capable of becoming 
the subjects of it. The Bat, the Dormouse, and nume- 
rous insects, awake at intervals, dm'ing which they 
make efforts to secirre food for themselves. But, in the 
Hedgehog and Marmot, the wiuter sleep, once begim, 
continues unbroken either by hunger or thirst, and im- 
interrupted tiU the retm-n of spring. 
That the toi-pid or deep sleep which affects animals 
in this condition, is altogether different, at least in in- 
tensity, from ordinary diirmal repose, is clearly proved 
by the impossibility to excite them, by pricking, by 
galvanic shocks, or even by serious injmy, such as frac- 
turing their bones. Nor are they distirrbed, or roused 
from their rest, by immersion, for a time, in gases, which, 
in other conditions of the system, would be immediately 
followed by a fatal result. 
It differs no less essentially from the mere torpor iu- 
duced by cold, for this is a condition into which all ani- 
mals may be brought, and which, when prolonged, ends 
in death; whereas, the animals which hybemate are 
comparatively few indeed, and their activity returns with 
the spring. No experiments have been made, we are 
led to believe, to determine what would be the effect of 
extreme degrees of cold applied to hybernating animals, 
either preceding the approach of the period of hyberna- 
tion, or during that interval. The habit or disposition 
to it, however, may be greatly modified, as we have the 
testimony of Dr. Barton to the effect, that this charac- 
teristic of many species of animals of becoming torpid in 
Pennsylvania, and the more northern disti'icts, subsides 
when they become inhabitants of the Carolinas — a pro- 
position, which we might have been led to predict, a 
priori, from the analogies both of the animal and vege- 
table creation. 
The state of hybernation comes on gradually, and, 
when perfect, there is a complete abnegation of the senses. 
While it lasts, the functions of respiration, circulation, 
digestion, nutrition, secretion, and absoi'ption are al- 
most completely suspended. The ii'iitabUity of the 
muscular tissue is greatly impaired, and the temperature 
of the body falls nearly to that of the smTounding 
medium. The weight of the body is further dimi- 
nished. 
Though there is obviously a connection between the 
diminished temperature and the torpid condition of the 
functions in hybernation, a difficulty exists in explain- 
ing why this property occurs only in certain animals, 
for as yet no anatomical explanation has been advanced 
of sufficient weight to account for the phenomenon ; — 
there is undoubtedly some relation to the nervous sys- 
tem to which we must appeal for an explanation. 
At any rate, it is not to be considered primarily as a 
suspension of the function of respiration, immediately 
contingent on reduced temperature. — J. S. B, 
