The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-02-22
alternating Animals.

A century ago SOuthey, the famous poet
laureate of England, said: ''1nclinatian would
lead me 10 hibernate during half the year III
this uncomfortable climate Of Great Britain"
Well, why notI Is there any good reason why
man should not pass the winter in a state OF
Information. if he feels like it, as well as the
bear or the grounding? To hibernate, be 1t
remembered. simply means 10 pass the winter
in q state of housed uD," as we
might expressly put it.
No man could hibernate for six months, as
Southey felt inclined to do. but neither could
bear Our winters, say III the latitude of
Pennsylvania, are comparatively short. The
season Of snow and frozen ground does not.
on the average begin before the Goth Of De
cember, and il dosen't often last longer than
the first Of March. II may safely be said. at
least, that the alternating period of the bear
and other mammals i'll our latitude Is no
more than ten weeks. Now there are well au-
thenticated cases of mems fasting six weeks
or more, while taking considerable exercise
every day. Every movement. in the way OF ex-
ercise drains the surplus vitality to a certain
extent Just rs every revolution of q lOcOmO-
tive wheel requires some consumption of fuel
in the furnace.
II healthy man We're to fatten himself rs
the alternating mammals do. and then keep
as quiet "a the bear in his winter den. posi-
bly, he might live through ten weeks fast.
Succi, the Italian. lately tasted six and half
weeks in New York in "a badly-ventilated room
and while taking liberal exercise every day.
Three and "a half weeks more under such con-
ditions as the bear fasts might, therefore, be
possible for man.
No doubt there are many poor people in the
United States that could endorse SOutheysseu-
timent, but the majority of us. fortunately. get
"a great deal of enjoyment out OF the winter
season. If nature had not furnished Us with
the means of passing the cold term cOmforta-
bly, possibly we might all realize the wish Of
the famous Englishman, for nature always
supplies exactly what ia most needful to her
creatures.
Man is so constituted that he can provide
the food and clothing and warmth necessary
to carry him through the period of excessive
cold. This is not so with many other ami
mails, and so nature has made provision for
helping them through the winter. Thus all
reptiles-serpents toads, lizards and the like
make nests in the ground when cold weather
approaches. then they 90 TO sleep aud snooze
comfortably until the sunshine of spring time
again warns them into activity. Bats and
some fishes also pass the winter in a state Of
torpidity.
II Is commonly believed that such Of orr
well-known mammals "a the bear and the
ground hog hibernate in winter in the same
sense that the reptiles do, but that is a mis-
take. Many hunter has verified the truth OF
this statement by his experience in strringup
a bear family in midwinter The difference
between the Information of the war1n-blooded
animals and the cold-blooded reptiles is very
great: The latter may remain torpid for six
months with very little loss of weight. This
Is because their blood temperature is nearly
rs low rs that of the air that surrounds them.
and therefore but little animal food needs 10
be consumed in keeping them alive.
But the temperature of the warm-blOOded
animals approaches that of man. which is
about ninety eight degrees. no matter
whether he be under the equator or within
the Attic circle. In this respect there is not
much difference between man and the bear
for example. From the moment the bear
houses up in his winter quarters he begins 10
lose flesh, which is the fuel that must con
stantly be consumed by both man and bear
when fasting This is necessary To keep up
the high temperature of the blood OF
course. If you should go into a bears den
with kind permission of Mr.. Bear" as n
theatre manager might say. you would proba-
bly, find the place comfortably warm Blu;
remember that this warmth is generated bv
the consumption of bear flesh. Just as the heat
OF your comfortable room has been generated
bv the consumption of coal
Instinct tells the alternating rcammal in
the late autumn that he must make prcpara-
ton for the time when snow and ice will pre-
vent him from gathering food. He responds
10 this warning by gorging himself as pig
does IN fattening time. In the case of the
bear he gets so stout at the beginning OF win
ter that his body is covered with a LAYER of
Fat sometimes an inch thick. This is the
iuel, chiefly, whose consumption is 10 keep
him alive until the warmth of early spring
will enable him 10 earn or steal his living
again.
As al evidence that bears and the like are
not actually torpid in winter. we know that
warm spell' Will always cause them 10 come
out Of their dens and skirmish about for
something 10 eat. After an exceedingly cold
winter bear, on his spring debut. is 50 lean
and weak that he can hardly walk He is ike
man physically run down by long illness.
But he soon RECEIVERS from this condition il
ne can iind some nuts or succulent roots, or
convenient hen-roost or pig-sty.
The Information of the grounding is SINH
lar 10 that Of the bear. OF course YOU know
the tradition that the ground-hog always
emerges from his hole on Candcmas bay
the second Of February. Then. if he sees his
shadow, he returns 10 winter quarters, know
ing that the shadow portends many more
days Of winter.
The Trouble with this tradition is that il
~ hnndsd down to " wrong-end foremost.