The Advocate and news., 1898-03-02
.FIRESIDE and SCRAP-BOOK:


thawed out, 1t will resume all of Its
functions RhizOpOds, FOtlhers and othel
animalcules likewise stand freezing with
perfect impunity. In fact, all cold
blOOded water animals appear to be in
different to the lethal effects of extreme
cold.
Some Of the higher water animals, such
as fishes and frogs, can endure great cold
without harm. Not long since / saw a
carp &C.. carpio) in the very center Of a
cube OF ice. This fish resumed all the
functions Of life as soon as the ice melted
and set 1t free. 1t Is claimed by ex-
DlOrers that the waters Of the north polar
seas are remarkably destitute Of the low
est forms of life; indeed, Of all forms.
Yet that they are absolutely without life
has not been shown, for even In the ice
cold waters of the extreme North Artic
ocean microscopic animalcules, to lin
tied extent, defy the benumbing and
otherwise fatal touch of the frost king.
Turbelarians, hematOids, or thread
worms, undergo freezing without appre-
clable harm. Little worms will fire.
quently be found in ice taken from ponds,
lakes, etc. This has given rise to the
idea that ice breeds worms" These
creatures are simply nematoids which
have become frozen in the ice, and which
have been liberated by liQuefaction. The
common earth worm (L. terrestis) may
be frozen stiff without experiencing any
harm whatever. Several earth worms
were taken by me from Vermicularium
and placed in jar containing earth.
This was done early in the autumn, so
that the creatures might become accus-
toned to their surroundings by the time
winter set in. Every now and then de-
caylng vegetable substances, such as
leaves, rotten wood, etc., were sprinkled
over the surface Of the earth In the jar;
water was also occasionally sprayed in.
Thus, the worms had an abundance of
food and water The jar was set out in
the open air, though a roof Of boards
was placed above 1t to keep off the snow
and rain. 1t was subjected to all the
cold Of severe winter. On one ocCa-
sion the thermometer registered 10 de-
grees Fahrenheit in the center of the jar
for ten or twelve hours. AS soon as the
milder weather Of spring set in the
worms began to move about, some OF
them laying eggs, thus showing that
they had not been hurt by temperature
many degrees below freezing point.
Again, several worms were taken from a
vermicularium and surrounded by an en-
velope Of dampened earth one inch in
thickness; they were then exposed to
temperature Of 10 degrees Fahrenheit for
ten hours. When examined, they were
found to be almost rigid; indeed, some
were quite so, breaking in the fingers
when they were bent. Yet these worms
(that is, the unbroken ones), when grad
ually thawed out, showed no sign Of in
jury.
The common toad (B. lentginosus), at
the approach Of winter, burrows an inch
or two into the ground, and, surrounded
by the roots of grasses, weeds or herbs,
goes into It's winter sleep. Last Novem-
ber saw one take shelter beneath tus-
sock Of couch grass (T repens), boring
it's way beneath and between the tough
roots by roofing motion Of It's head.
Its fore legs or arms" and its finger-like
claws we're also used to great advantage,
as well as Its muscular hind legs in ex-
cavating and shaping it's winter dug
out" AT one time during the winter the
soil was frozen solid to the depth OF four
inches. During this cold spell carefully
dug UP the tussoCk Of grass, and, upon
examination, found the toad stir and
seemingly frozen through and through.
l replaced both grass and toad, packing
the frozen earth about the roots as well
as could under the circumstances. On
the 18th Of March / again dug up the
toad. It was, to certain extent, torpid,
but otherwise was entirely unlnjured by
the great cold through which it had
passed.
When we come to examine the higher
animals we find that some of them are
able to endure very great cold. In fact,
1t has been demonstrated that the inter
nal temperature of some of these animals,