TORPIDITY. 
413 
the insectivorous birds which reside with us through 
the winter, and which would in the absence of this 
stock become the victims probably of famine. 
The Banded Helix (H. virgata) shews by its great 
numbers in some particular spots, the habit of hy¬ 
bernation in a decisive way. During winter, and on 
to the first week of April not one can be seen, they 
having retired most likely into hedges, but after 
that time on through the summer they swarm in 
those places to such a degree that as one steps 
they are crushed in numbers under the feet. 
The Common Fly which infests beaches in such 
numbers lays itself up in a torpid or semi-torpid 
state in crevices of the rocks on the coast, in order 
to pass the severer parts of winter. 
Torpidity as exemplified in this climate seems 
to be a provision against cold, or want, or both, 
appointed for certain kinds of animals, and in some 
kinds of Helix a provision against drought. It in¬ 
volves no peculiarity of structure, but on the 
contrary is capable of being assumed by many in 
a voluntary manner, and as the constitution, (Eco¬ 
nomies, and habits of life differ so widely in the 
generality of animals we have no ground left to 
expect an uniformity in the appearances or charac¬ 
ters it presents. Being therefore extended in so 
unequal and changeable a manner to the animal 
world, instead of expecting to discover a great 
number of laws directing its effects, we should rather 
expect that some singularity or slight difference at¬ 
tends each subject of it. It is a condition variable in 
its nature and phenomena in many different subjects 
of it. It appertains to no division or tribe of creatures 
exclusively, but on the contrary may probably be 
found exemplified in some manner in every order 
of beings, frequently also affecting one or more 
species of a genus, but not influencing the rest. 
Many species are not invariably torpid at the hy- 
