mercury was at 40 deg., and sometimes at 55 deg. below zero. Captain Back
found it 70 deg. below zero. These were 72 deg. and 102 deg. below the
freezing point, or about 200 deg. below that of their own bodies, and
still they were able to resist this low temperature, and escape being
"frost-bitten."

551. Captain Lyon, who accompanied Captain Parry in his second voyage
to the northern regions, found the temperature of an arctic fox to be
106 deg., while that of the atmosphere was 32 deg. below zero; making a
difference between the temperature of the fox and that of the
atmosphere, of 138 deg. Captain Scoresby found the temperature of a
whale, in the Arctic Ocean, to be 104 deg., or nearly as high as that of
other animals of the same kind in the region of the equator, while the
temperature of the ice was as low as 32 deg., and the water was nearly as
cold. These facts show what a strong counteracting energy there is in
animals against the effects of cold.

552. On the other hand, it has been ascertained by numerous and
well-conducted experiments, that the human body can be exposed, even
for a length of time, to a very high temperature, without essentially
elevating that of the body. Chantrey, the sculptor, often entered the
furnace, heated for drying his moulds, when the temperature indicated
by the thermometer was 330 deg. Chaubert, the Fire-King, is said to have
entered ovens when heated to 600 deg. In 1774, Sir Charles Blagden
entered a room in which the mercury rose to 260 deg. He remained eight
minutes without suffering.

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549. What is the temperature of the human body? Of birds? How does the
heat of the atmosphere in summer, in our latitude, compare with that
of the human system? 550. What is related of Captain Parry? Of Captain
Back? 551. Of Captain Lyon? Of Captain Scoresby? What do these facts
show? 552. What has been ascertained on the other hand?

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553. In order to render it certain that there was no fallacy, says Sir
Charles Blagden, "in the degree of heat shown by the thermometer, but
that the air breathed was capable of producing all the well-known
effects of such a heat on inanimate matter, I put some eggs and
beefsteak upon a tin frame placed near the thermometer, and farther
distant from the cockle than from the wall of the room. In about
twenty minutes the eggs were taken out, roasted quite hard; and in
forty-seven minutes, the steak was not