Ellsworth American., 1909-12-29
THEIR WINTER SLEEP,
.r<,,rouY,0K eLNEps LONGBR
THAN THE SKUNK.

~uwwurK Bugr PnOvDn4 AMONG
rHr soursnExsn1uM sLnnrs
LONG AND soUNDLY.
"a. Il. +. in Maine Woods.l
H,b.rp.tion nay bs dshnsd =
~. scs 81 PASSING ths winter 80
.on in torpor Of profound sleep.
Several Of our common aaiunals exhibit
tb,. curious but we'll known phenomenon.
The probable as q hissrnation i to tide
.bs animal eyse psriod Of upfsvoEabls
conditions, such - extreme cold Or lack Of
food.
rhe following observations, perhaps
worthv Of note, extend over period Of
several years and include the additional
NOTES OF several close observers.
The woodchuck furnishes the best ex-
annie we have OF perfect hibernation. He
ia very careful in the fall to secure him
self against possible disturbances or ex-
tremes Of cold. He. rstires early to bis
den. curis himself into round ball and is
ready for his long nap. His den is usu-
ally below the frost line, and after its en-
frances are closed with snow, he has re-
treat OF even temperature from which
none OF his enemies, except men. can ex-
tract him. The woodchuck is always fat
whe he dens mp.
His sole occupation during the summer
is eating, and by early fall he has obtained
an almost perfect physical condition and
is as fat as butter. This fat constitutes
the fuel on which he lives and supports
his heat during the winter. II has been
estimated that the loss OF weight IN hiber-
mating animals during the winter is Az per
cent? an enormous decrease.
A woodchuck unearthed during the
winter presented the following interest
inr-peculiaiities: The breathing was sus-
pended, or apparently suspended, since
there were no signs OF it; the tempera-
ture of the body was much below normal ;
when the woodchuck was placed in a
warm room it gradually showed signs Of
life, slowly opened its eyes and got onto
its feet. After looking around in dazed
way for a short time, it laboriously
crawles into the darkest corner OF the
room, rolled itself into baii ana went to
sleep again.
From these facts we may draw the ioi-
lowing conclusions regarding some niper-
mating animals: Breathing ana temper
ature are reduced to thelr minimum ano
probably all the other functions OF ne
Since the warmth OF the room oio MOI
fully arouse the animal, we may conciuoe
that awakening is only partly que &c
warmth, and is probably NANNY que y
the calls OF hunger.
If we reckon thestate OF Information az
- p.s;das h;a ,opo
- ~. .,,,,,ar ho,rs fo,
@ -, .s.or,,. the snumer He
$3.50 -. :. ~ time hut nsnallx
as 80 J.. 49,. aar,v ,norn;np q,
p s. - .uaa,. .h.t 10 s,een,
..;sJ - - 10 t,.,s,,tv- t,nr nonrs during
ths summer "a verv conservative esti-
-, au !, tho time dnrinp the six
:. s;...,..;o,, from, aarlv in Octo.
- 49,. ...,.;, ~. n March we And that the
.s.s..s .o,ro,Iv s,eena awav two.
.h;.ss :, h;s life
Ts;s "a start,;nv abatement. but obser.
-..;-n h.s rrovsS that the woodchuch
s:Ss-.o. .s-,;a- and rsmains in that
....a ,orrsr th.r .nv ~ our ot her animals
p."s. | ,,v ~. rhv.ical condition OF th,
.n;,,., 10. ,rnch n do with the duration
NJ hibernation. A fat woodchuck vii
hibernate earlier and remain in that stat
later than the animal which, for any rea
son, is In poor physical condition; that 10
has failed to lay on . goodly supply 0
fatty tissue.
THE SKUNK.
~. .rrrL -, Lrown m everv-one
,,.v .,.o ~ c,...ad "a an hibernatin,
sr;us, ~ .sr.. orlv = comnarativel,
sho-. ,,;rts- nan Ne dens mn in Decem
~ .ra ~. vcod oh.erver NAV see sign