The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-06-10

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Mmluxn Bow RANoA Wyoming, 3uDss.--
The spring 10 backward h the Rocky Moun-
tains. To-day at sunrise the mercury recorded
TO- above nero. The Aelting Of the snow pro-
gresses slowly. This snow lies on 0 stratum
Of clear hard loo four inches thick. The ice
retards melting b. intercepting the heat RISING
from the Garth. and by preventing the snow
from coming In contact with the water trick
ling ever the surface Of the soil. The snow has
TO b melted By direct heat nom the sun. and
the process u necessarily slow u these dense
forests.
When I came here i've weeks aga the snow
was In compact layer four fpet thick. This
layer was composed Of tightly compressed
snow flakes. Lying horizontally In tho snow.
and about two tset from tho ground. Was q
stratum Of leo. two tHehes Thick that marked
soma midwintsr thaw. On the ground. hug
ging every irregulsrity and tightly embracing
the psotruding bouldeFs and points of granite
rocks. was another lsycr OF ice. A said. the
snow preserved its distinguishing character
istics Of capitalization In lato April foot Of
snow fell This fall depressed my spirits. I
thought 1t would delay the nolsing Of the old
snow. The now snow melted rapidly. It dis
appeared. apparently sinking through the old
snow. Tho creeks did not indicate by increase
OF flow that the water from the melting
snow had reached their courses l was
puzzled to understand where this water
had gone. An examination OF the four
feet OF snow showed that tho water in sinking
through 1t had wrought a marked change in
its structure. The snow crystals had disap-
peared. The structure OF the particles had
altered They were round. shot-liko globules.
about rs largo as No. bird shot They were
comparatively loose and could be moved. roll
ing freely rs shot in a box. Another, and an
other. and another heavy snow fell in quick
succession. and rapidly melted. The creeks
did not show increase Of water; but tho four
feet Of snow shrank to three feet and tho shot
like particles grew larger. Tho mass OF snow
was saturated with water. Slowly the gray
points Of moss-covered rocks began to show
above the white layer. Gradually tho hiisdes
having q southern exposure became bare. Still
the creeks did not rise. Stumps rose above the
level OF the snow. Wood piles rose as II by
magic. 1t was as IL the sprites OF tho noun
tains wero plying noisclcss axes and
cutting cordwood O. nights. Tho creeks
failed to respond. Then there came blazing
day. The mercury stood ut 90' above zero at
O'Clock in the morning. Tho corpses Of ice
bound and snow-encumbered creeks, touched
with ifs-giving wand. sprang into active life.
The forests resounded with tho roar OF flood
ing mountain torrents. Tiny cascades leapod
from rock to rock. Springs burst forth In the
most unexpected places. A stream Of water ms
largo as mans arm issued in sparkling pu-
rity from under my front porch. From out of
the gnarled and knotted roots OF u rosinous
stump by my kitchen door gushed a large
stream OF water. Water boiled from under
houses. flowed out OF deserted shafts. trickled
down hillsides in countless streams. Tho thaw
had begun. 1t frose, it showed; but the flow of
water has not been arrested. The now snow
carries away tho old. 1t seems to rot it. and it
gradually fades away.
The hardness OF the mountain vegetation Is,
most remarkable. The grass when left the
mountains last fall was brown. 1t had been
killed by the intense cold. I was greatly sur
prised to see that the grass was green when It
was uncovered by the slowly retreating snow
banks. When uncovered the TUFTS Of grass
threw out new shoots; and. though surrounded
by snow and irrigated by ice water and frozen
every night the growth Of new grass has not
boon interrupted for an instant. There is grass
OF u bank OF snow and leo that lies in front OF
my house SO it is all through the hills. Wher-
green. So well adapted are its conditions Of
life that y successfully withstands frost that
would would the heat Of furnace inc '0"AhaS DIS
-, The willow bushes are among the nrst plants
that welcome the f Gs,I Of spring by putting
there Is six inches Of solid is lying blanket.
set around the willows. These bushes are in
H S9H nr ae tire basy aha Il
strange that the young leaves, that should pre-
snmaby be tender, withstand degree Of cold
that kills them later in the season. Az tho
snow and ice line retreats across the mnrshy
parks watercresses rise above the cold surface
is thicEiy covered with the towering plants. [
have to-day seen Hover OF watnrcress lying
on ridge Ivy, OF ice the cold water trekne over it.
bird that loves the damp. shady rscesses OF the
forests where the spruce trees and tangled I'M
highlands for the purpose OF breeding. The
little smnler than the cock OF the plains tsiac
and half pounds. These birds are not gre
garious. 1t Ia seldom that more than IA pair are
found together. unless hen has her young
with her Wien the snow Is on the ground
flesh is white. fine grained. high Favored, md
most excellent sating, This year the birds. il
AZ at q
nesting grounds. With the patience chsrac:
waited for the snow to melt. so that they could
lay their eggs. A month ago. needing food. l
Developed dave Yesterday Shot H another could
not see that the eggs were more fully developed
thnn they werv a month ago. Nature. discover
ing that she had made y mistake in sending
tho birds into tho mountains PROMPTLY ar
rested the process OF reproduction. II the pro-
cess had not been retarded tho grouse would
have been forced to scoop out thsir nests In the
snow. The rufYed grouse closely followed the
blue In their migration They also were mis-
taken in the season.
One Of the first animals that appears in the
mountains In the spring IL the woOdchuck.
A rocky side hill becomes bare, saw. to-day
tomorrow tho woodchucks awake from their
winters sleep and come forth from their nirs.
Loudly they whistle their disapprobation OF
the hardness OF the season. They lie on sunny
rocks and bask by the hour, Many OF these
creatures are cut on by balls from rifles held
in tho hands of mountainssrs who are hungry
for fresh meat. Woodchucks are not good
eating. One can eat woodGhuck when hungry.
The same Is true OF crow.
The large game animals. black tailed deer
and elk generally migrate from the bare foot
hills into the pine,c!ad mountains A. soon rs
the snow has sufficiently melted for them to
travel. Their object is to give birth to their
young In places OF safety-to protect them from
the prairie coyote and the gaunt gray wolves
that scour the plains and adjacent foot hills in
search OF food The deer ami elk can. 80 IL is
claimed by old mOuutAiNNeIB successfully de-