The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-12-04

differing from this winter coma Of AMI
mals only In degree. Human beings
who are frozen ,o death first sl.ep. then
&c; into q condition very much ike HI
hernation, which when carried further
causes death. IL 10 80 with the lower
animals. and many succumb IN IN. cold
In sleep the respiration In slower and
A. n consequence the temperature OF the
body falls 80 that clothing il necessary
when one sleeps that would be too warm
IN the waking hours.
Thus il is in Information. The breath
ing Of the subject becomes slower and
slower until II il nearly suspended. lhe
heart beats decline and the temperature
falls
There are two classes OF hibernators'
those perfectly lethargic through the
winter and those that wake at certain
intervals The best example Of perfect
winter sleep is seen in hats. At the
beginning of cold weather Theses creatures
buddis together in bundles. become
comatose and do not stir until warm
weather comes again. An old hollow
tree or beast Of all cave. affords the bats
their winter protection.
Bat. have a little hook at one II the
joints OF each wing by which they hang
suspended in the air when sleeping. and
the late Prof. Browne Of Lafayette Col
lege. whose Investigations In Information
are accepted a. authority. says that
during Information numbers OF bats
crowd together. clinging to each other.
the weight Of all being borne by the
central one. ~ many a sixty bats having
been discovered in one bunch. The
amount OF cold which bats can withstand
while in their winter sleep is almost
beyond belief. IL il recorded by Prof.
Browne that in the bunch referred 20 the
wings Of the outside bats were so frozen
that they broke like icioles when touched.
Some Of those bats. although 30 badly
frozen. were soon brought 20 life by the
application OF warmth.
Squirrels as q rule are imperfect hiberna-
tors remaining In q semi-lethargic state
until a pleasant day or until the pangs Of
hunger induce them TO arouse and eat.
There In ground squirrel. the habitat OF
death 80 closely in its winter sleep that no
respiration or heart beat can be detected.
OF our familiar animals that hibernate
perfect ly the woodchuck IL q most strik z
example Of the phenomenon. Its coma IL
so complete that q woodohuck dug from
its burrow in midwintsr may be- tossed
about like a ball without exhibiting any
show Of life until the exercise has started
it's blood into circulation and restored a
normal temperature. Left 10 itself again
it will gradually fall into the winter sleep.
A bear routed out OF his winter sleep
will not travel any further than he has 20.
but will lop down in the first place he comes
To that Offers shelter and AZ once resume his
nap. Before the law protected bears by
. close season during the winter months
in their Information were permitted by
their disturbers to- get the chnce to re-
sumo their nap.
Naturalists insist that hiberuating AMI
mails. notably the bear. come out Of their
long sleep very thin. the great accumuIa-
their rest having been consumed by an
absorbing process: bur ~ far A. the bear
IL concerned this IL entirely opposed to the
accepted backwoods declaration. which
is that the bear appears in the spring IN
better flesh than he was when he sought
winter quarters. although ne loses IL rap
Idly az he begins 10 forage for food after
his long fast.
The alligator In remarkable hiber-
nator and has the odd habit according IN
stomach a bit Of wood before laying itssif
away for the winter. Almost anything
of suitable size will answer the alligat or :
purpose. citizen of Columbia. =. & .
as'sIIrsS the writer. but the most palat-
able tidbit IN our alligator neighbor
hood seems to be lighiw knot
tlligators have been killed in the spring
with remains IL these knots in their
s-onachs beautifully polished The alli-
gato- takes in this hard substance appar-
emily Ia stay its stomach. for II can proba-
biy live longer without food ey en ia the
uRfIss at "A a at h.ar nfVNr.4
Near the spot where tho f.mal. nIli-
gator made her nest and laid her eggs IN
tho summer the winter hOlInE up place
will be made Although the aliigl turs
may have wandered many miles from
there IN the meantime they return there
in the fail With ~ powerful feet and
claws tn. alligator digs almost straight
down from eight to twelve feet. then
making n horizontal passage for some
distance takes an upward turn. coming Ia
within a short distance Of the surface of
the ground and above the water level of
the swamp or marsh whore he may be
The big reptile then prepares space
sufficiently large 20 enable him To lie AZ
full length out % water. There he takes
his long winter sleep. and AS no air can
penetraI. 10 his retreat y must he plain
enough that b" must do without breathing
all that time.
Harvesting the alternating raccoon
In midwinter IL "A sport indulge,i in 10y
natives Of IN" Pennsylvania hemlock
belt. where the coon is plentiful. In rhe
fall. NJ The coming Of the cold weather
that will drive this alternating little
! beast TO its sleeping place 'he-. places
ar" marked down hy the person who has
II in mind 10 gather he occupants a
them some time during the WINTER Wher
that tam. Cr'rl.@ and he wants coon for
dinner IN. harvester seeks one Of the coor
hollng up places. chops into il il IL j. a
hollow tree. which u usually H. uncover,
the budding group Of sound asleep coon,
and takes out ~ many as he wants nn1
plugs up tn" hol" again. TO be- tapped a
some other time The coons are fat nj.
though they have not had anything =,
| eat for weeks.