example of the group. It
remains asleep, or, as it is technically known, dormant, during the
winter. This stupor is more profound than ordinary sleep, and from it
these animals awaken with difficulty. It is needless to remark that
the groundhog's behavior on the second of February has no relation
whatever to the weather we are to have later in the season. This is
coming to be pretty generally understood. While the newspapers each
year comment upon the groundhog and his shadow upon that day, year by
year the notice has more of humor in it, and fewer people pay any
attention to it.

As for the backboned animals which are cold-blooded, these must,
unless they are fish, give up the struggle completely, bury themselves
in out-of-the-way places, and go worse than dormant. They often become
absolutely cold and stiff. In the case at least of fish, it is quite
possible for them to be frozen stiff, even to be enclosed in cakes of
ice, and still to recover if the encasement is not too long continued.
But the snakes, the turtles, the toads, the lizards, all are hidden
beneath the ground waiting in absolutely unconscious rest the return
of warmer weather.

After the need for food and shelter comes the continually recurring
necessity on the part of almost every type of animal to escape from
the unwearying persecution of higher creatures which would feed upon
it. The whole creation is a constant network of animals which prey
upon each other. It is the fate of a great majority of all creatures
to fall victim to other animals to whom they serve as food.
Accordingly nature has concocted many devices by which she assists
her favored children in escaping this relentless persecution. Perhaps
the most widespread means which animals have developed in order to
elude their enemies lies in the possession of power to escape their
attention. Two different factors may contribute to this end. The first
of these consists in the practice on the part of many animals of
remaining absolutely quiet in time of danger. This instinct seems to
be nearly universal. The first impulse of most animals upon
discovering danger is to remain absolutely motionless. The eye
detects, with ease, objects in motion. These same objects might
entirely escape attention were they quiet. A mouse could remain in the
corner of a room for a long time without attracting the eyes of the
occupants of the room. Let it but scamper across the corner, and at
once it is discovered. It