Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-03-07
NOTES ON THE FAUNA or YER
mONT-XXIV,
Winter Walls,

Winter waits.
The student OF nature need never be idle.
Each season roveals new order, every day
new fact. But the secrets of nature are re-
vealed TO no sluggish sense lie must be
ready 10 gather the hints dropped carelessly
here aud there, to improve the chance oppor-
tuuily when it comes. There is the constant
challenge to couple fact to fact, to bring the
hidden to light.
This invitation is not withdrawn in winter.
Then, to be sure, animal and plant life is at
its lowest cbb, dormant like the buds Int
now is the time TO keep pace with nature il
ever. From December until April her quests
are few and her movements less difficult to
dc;cct. Alter the first spring days, WE
lose sight OF her at once. Then all life is on
the Hovc, radating in all directions, which
nothing short OF minute sense can follow.
Inc meteorological phenomena naturally
attract especial attention in winter There
is the constant shifting Of thaw and cold,
and the sensitive snow registers the daily
change. All forms Of life are now retarded
by pressing force. We observe constant
fuctustion and sudden springing forth when
the weights IRE removed. Now, the first of
February, some willows show the white silk
| OF their buds. The warm winter DAYS brought
them out, and subsequent cold checked their
| growth. The aments on the birch and alder,
over an inch long, are waiting patiently for
| their hnal release in spring, ready to profit
| by the least degree of warmth. Break q
| twig from any Of these trees and give it the
conditions of growth--warmth aud moisture
and see how soon the leaves will start and
the buds develop flowers.
| often notes in winter how well the
hleached trunks of the birch match their sur
rouhdl2gs. IL is The most wintry tree OF
| winter In its white satin garb. A collection
Of these trees have little to show but the
dark trail OF their upper branches against The
snow. The moist snow cliDgs to the black
comes which dot the alder shrubbery, call
| ing our attention to this odd fruit" The
beech and white oak are still unwilling L
part with their old leaves, which remain as
constant reminder of fall and the death O
the Old year. Intcrspersed with the whit,
trunks Of the birch, stand the smoky NAPLES
sufused with red al their apex.
Another interesting sight at this season i
the plane or the button-wood tree. Its old Gu
ticle hangs in shrcds and scales from the cleat
light. olive bark, and suspended near the toI
ltho sG,ht.s, bra.zo ILL., ni,,, haI, ~
ltr,Ard Thrso enbnrcai n,ctIa an " an ;nni
or az i, j;,mo,or - pr,. go, -" i.n.
lhoro a onrianoors an,,oar,noa a,,d -
IN a,or,otin odnr II, = En',,iah rha "u -
lIich, are thnv i, ron,,iras q d"zar ~ ,,.;,t, n
,nncc or noorlv 100 hnn,,r.d,n H.. go,
r ,cb ono NJ ,heee hnt,no hoir. brrs,o ;nto
lLanJfni ~ (,,nnr Ii,,Ia so.',s ,,,nod ,,;,t
.mI,hurv ,H1nJor ill.," ,a,oIo, 'pi PA u;ao
With n fne ,us, cninred ,'a,,,,,,a ' ,ia,i,n"
an,a,rntlv IN ac, 90 r, rIino, go
from The n.r.u, ,rse u,r'. rs,,,ra u.s. ho
sapd IN ,v Inc nsckoro ,,, ,ho n" n' -,
hirds rh.w Win n s,s,,, s,r;rr ~ ,hn iraa
wh,re thew mnst roma,n '' min ,hs W" soil '~i
rendy frr ihnir rccnr,i"n IN "s s,r; w." ' Tho
fastc,in,, dives noar,n ih :" .r ;neioa t' .
rreeuhle fine thrnads ~ on, g,, in ncnoo,
anc and strrng,h T,vn snnh sr :" W. NV"
nuc,es twisted ing,,h"r viii III, n'irhi Piht ",
RI. ,hor, ~ Iweoiy nn,,nIo INV "N'H"' ~
m r,,,,, ~ ~, ,'-'r,;, r.h-,,,,, a.,