In article <39s2bp$mhl at cville-srv.wam.umd.edu> Jeffrey S Brush,
jeffyb at wam.umd.edu writes:
>I think the word you are looking for is 'estivation' (sometimes spelled
>'aestivation' (by Harvard types, probably)).
Some frogs do aestivate, but I think this term refers to a
hibernation-like state during hot conditions. There are frogs that live
in hot arid areas and they only become active for a brief period during
the short rain season. After this they bury themselves in the mud and
aestivate. They secrete some sort of mucous that prevents them from
drying out.
PS I'm not a Harvard type (whatever that is), but being English, tend to
put an "a" before an "e" sometimes, like haemoglobin :-)
Tim.
