| Show SUMMER OF ANIMALS alio bot seabon spent in a state of inactivity many animals pass the cold season of the year in sleep while alie similar phenomenon of a summer sleep is known in serpents and crocodiles of tropical regions even in the temperate zones it appears there arc reptiles and amphibious animals that spend the hot days in sleep according to dr franz werner these animals will be seen in july and august in noticeably fewer numbers than during the spring and search will reveal them in a condition very similar to sleep hidden under stones brush or leaves or in the edges of marshes and ponds the frogs sit huddled together and make no attempt to hee lizards and salamanders amanders sal lie almost motionless with their tails over their heads and snakes are coiled in spirals with the head concealed unlike that of the land animals the summer sleep of the water animals is not always at the time of the greatest heat but occurs only when their usual dwelling place is dried up contrary to general supposition reptiles do not always thrive best in hot weather but many such as lizards and snakes succumb very quickly under a hot sun and only turtles can bear the exposure for any considerable time the summer sleep of these animals varies with the character of the hot season and docs not appear at all in animals kept in a comparatively even temperature in captivity |
