C 120 ] 
animal become charged in p/kr or minus, 
in the midft of circumftances fo inimical to 
it ? I am not aware, I confefs, of the means 
which nature makes ufe of in this procefs, 
but I am perfedly convinced that this pro¬ 
cefs does take place. 
Let thofe who doubt this, confider for 
a moment the phenomena of heat in ani¬ 
mated beings. 
Quadrupeds, infeds, birds, fifli, in a 
word, all animals, and even trees, plants, 
and flowers, have their fpecific temperature. 
Each has, if we may fo exprefs it, its 
meafure apart. 
Thefe beings even generate their own heat, 
retain it with tenacity, and perifli before 
they lol'e it entirely. Mr, Hunter has 
made upon this fubjed fome very intereft- 
ing experiments, from which it appears, 
(fays he) “ that an animal mu ft be deprived 
of li e before it can be frozen—That 
there is an exertion or expence of animal 
powers, 
