Tony Bolden, age 10, of Bessemer, Ala., for his question:

JUST WHAT IS A WARM BLOODED ANIMAL?

A warm blooded animal is an animal that almost always has about

the same body temperature, regardless of the temperature of its surroundings. Only birds and mammals, including man, are warm blooded animals. Other kinds of animals are cold blooded.

The body of a warm blooded animal produces heat by burning food.

Shivering and physical activity also generate body heat.

Young warm blooded animals and some adult, small mammals have heat producing organs, called brown fat, on their neck, chest and back.

A layer of fat beneath the skin, plus a covering of hair, fur or feathers helps keep a warm blooded animal warm. The animal's body can also conserve heat by reducing the flow of blood to the limbs and to uncovered skin.

The body becomes cooler by such means as panting and sweating.

Cold blooded animals have no built in controls over their body temperatures. Most cold blooded animals, including most water animals, are warm when their surroundings are warm and cool when their surroundings are cool.