Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-11-08


Indians saS-A asmals OF the Polar Re-
gions Not Given to the Habit of Over
Sleeping.
Frederick Sehloatka, IN Chicago Times.
There is not more interesting subject IA
natural history than the Information OF ami
mals and no ono which has been much less
studied among the larger animals, for the
good and sufficient reason that one Of their
main objects OF Information Is such as TO
put the subjects beyond the easy investiga-
ton Of mau, The very first conclusion at
which person would jump, following up
an ind uctive line OF reasoning, is that OF all
other places in the world especially fitted
for Information in every particular essential
land not worth much for any thing elsel the
Arctic country is prominently the most
likely to be so used, and | am afraid that
most ideas have been arrived at by this
jumping at them instead Of by personal OBJ
servations.
WHAT THE INDIANS SAY.
Probably in the study OF the habits OF
animals, and especially those on which they
depend for subsistence and clothing, the
savages ara far superior to civilized people.
1t may not be proper to say in the study"
OF animals, but rather in that peculiar
knowledge, which Dis absorbed by constant
contact with them In so many ways, and
which after all Is the most thorough in hab-
its of animals, but in no other way. / often
questioned the Esquimaux regarding this
subject, expecting TO get some minutie not
generally known, but was totally unpre.
pared TO have them tell me that they had
never heard Of such a thing before, and did
not believe that any Of their animals evsH
cut up such curious capers as sleeping
the whole winter
cited the case of the bears alternating
in the white mans country, and they re-
pliod that they had killed or seen polar
bears during every month 1.-THE Eskimau,
like so many savages, have lunar months,
or thirteen in the year, called by certain in
cdents likely TO happen in them, as the
young seal month, or moon; the dovel<ie
moon, the reindeer migrating" moon, and
so onl of their year. This statement Of
theirs had several chances afterward to
partially corroborate, and came fully to
the conclusion that it only needed a longer
sojourn in that country to confirm IL In all
important particulars.
Holes have been found in snow-banIgs
where bears crawl in, as bears crawl into
caves In our own country, and it is even
possible that some of these are excavated
by bruin TO protect her young for few
Wy bhh etAoAD mas Jbb W 10 bhe nAbb Eb-
corded instance of one of these creatures
being caught in a slumber of more ex-
tensive character than nights sleep OF n
casual nap. Even the protection Of tha
young cubs noted above, can only take plaza
for a short time, or can only be casual in-
stances, for they have been caught follow
ing the mother, my host Esquimau au-
Lnorities told me, when they could not ha9e
been over few days old.
HYPERBoREAN HIBERNATIoN.
And so it is with all other animals, my
informants told me- l have myself killed
polar hares in January and February and
known them TO be killed and seen in De-
cember and March. This would show that
II they hibernated at all IL would be by
"hts and starts. /" However, the hare family
do not hibernate with US, and it Is not fair
TO use them as an example, and ! would not
have done 30 had not seen statement in
polar book accusing them of this trait.
along with many others AMI probably
finding its way therein as much by a
casual mistake as by any intention Of tho
author.
Even ptarmigans, or Arctic grouse, have
boen accused of budding together in little
snow-hou formed by piles Of large rocks.
and as the crust of snow over them was so
dense and thick that they could not break
through it and stores OF food were found in-
side this peculiar domicile, it was Inferred
that this might bs called peculiar form OF
Information. This, l believe, was in west
Greenland. The habits Of these birds may
vary with the different well defined geo.
graphical distress of the Arctic, but in north
Hudson's bay and locality, where | spent
two winters, think am temperate in say
ing that l saw them every week in the win
ter time from the first snowfall till IL left
the groun And so ON through the whole
list
l am inclined TO believe that hiben~ ton.
like great depth of snow, will be found
some where betwosn the polar and tropical
regions, and not in either. have an idea
which | will not dignity with the title OF
theory that OF all Of the higher order of
animals that are known 10 hibernate in tho
lower ATTITUDES aud that have correspond
ing species ia the polar zones, those whose
coverings are changed to suit the new
regions, either by color or abundance. never
hibernate even in the broadcast sense Of that
word. Strictly speaking, this idea am
initiates the idea Of hyperborean hiber-
nation.
Once a convert 10 this idea, there ara
many reasons for It's being true Nothing
loss than tho lower forms Of life, with a
low order Of vitality, could possibly live Off
the superhuOus flesh and fat which they
could store up in the short summer during
the long winter of those regions We know
That Information is not complete cessation
Of life, but rather form OF it where a sur
plus aliment generally in the shape OF fat
Is used as the food, and the animal emerges
thin "as fonce-ral' at the end OF II. All
h.bernations are of short duration which
could not obtain in tho Arctics
Why Are Fishes LumlnOus9
Phosphorescence Is observed IN a greau