The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-30
SUMMER SLEEPING ANIMALS.
Several Which Reverse the Supposed
Usual Order Of Habits.
From the Neto York stdats-Zeitung.

Usual Order Of Habits.
From the Neto York StdGts-Zeitung
Every one knows that large number of
animals sleep in protected places during the
cold season of the year and wake in the
summer. A similar phenomenon is the
summer sleep Of different reptiles-princi-
pally serpents and crocodiles-which thus
pass the time OF greatest heat in tropical
regions. But that reptiles and amphibious
animals, native to the temperate zones,
frequently spend the hot days in sum
mer sleep" is not SO we'll known.
DR.. Franz Werner has recently
had this discussed in the Zoologi-
cal-Botanical Society of Vienna, and fur
nishes the following particulars: During
the months of July and August il will be
observed by those who pay any attention
to outdoor animal life that reptiles and
amphibians are noticeably fewer In num-
Der than during the spring months; but if
they begin to hunt under large. smooth
stones, i'll holes in the ground, on the edges
of marshes and ponds, under brush wood and
heaps of dead leaves, they will not seldom
find these animals, either alone or in great
groups, i'll a condition very similar to sleep
not, indeed, 30 sound as the "wlnter sleep, "
but the eyes are fully closed and the breath
ing little slower. The frogs sit huddled
together and make no attempt to fee, only
burrowing somewhat deeper into the earth
Lizards and salam0nders lie almost motion
less with their tails over their heads, and
even tho latter feel almost dry. Snakes are
rolled up like spirals' aud, as "a rule, with
the head concealed. They are, however, the
most quickly aroused.
The reason of this summer sleep is differ
ent, according as the animal lives on land or
in the water. Those on land sleep during
the greatest heat; those in the water only
when their usual dwelling place is dried up,
which generally, though not necessarily,
occurs during the high temperature. The
water salamanders are always in partial
summer sleep; those which live in the water
during the whole year do not sleep in sum-
mer, such as the water-frog, which lives in
ponds and marshes we'll supplied with water.
1t is generally supposed that our reptiles
enjoy the heat of summer, 30 that, as this in
creases. they improve in health. But this
is not always the case; rather has it been
found that many Of our reptiles are killed
by prolonged exposure to the heat OF the
sun, and if we observe lizards in the open
air, we may be sure that they do not stay out
very long under the beams of the sun, but
go back from time TO time to their dwell
ings. Only turtles can remain exposed to
a glowing sun any length of time without
some shade. Lizards and snakes often sue
cumb in half an hour. The summer sleep
Of these animals is regular habit, where
ever the warmth of the sun annually reaches
it's height; that is to say. from every noon
until about o'clock, and increases where
the rainfall is light and infrequent. In
places where intense heat is Of rare occur
renee a similar phenomenon is observed in
these years only. In captivity these animals
have neither a winter nor a summer sleep,
because the temperature of the cages is kept
warmer In winter and cooler in summer
than in the open air.