The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-03-06

less and erect on their hind-feet, they
await the little delicacy yvu are
expected to give them. 1 know
one fat fellow, by the men chris
tened "Dick." who on being tanned. at
once drove all the others to a respectful
distance, while he remained in the cabin,
erect and keen-eyed, waiting for his
supper. Dick found that the men some
times closed the cabin-door when at
meals, thus keeping him out. Next day,
though the door was shut, Dick APP
peared as usual Examination showed
that he had dug hole from the outside
under the floor, coming up exactly
where two boards had failed to meet in
one corner; thus finding .he only posi-
BILE opening by which he could get
through the floor. How was this
planned? The gopher appears to
freeze perfectly sol in our severe win
tiers. Miners drifting through gravel
in winter have several times. to my
knowledge. dug them out curled like a
ball. but solid and cold as though dead.
1t is impossible to open them out when
of wood. But place one near hot log
fire and soon he will straighten himself;
and first one hind-leg and then the other
will kick little, and Mr.. &. sits up
and looks around with bewildered
air.
Our fish act in a similar manner in
winter. In fishing through the ice
sometimes the latter four feet thick;
the temperatures usually low, say from
twenty to forty-five degrees below zero
the fish, whether trout. grayling. or
whitefish, when released from the hook
and thrown on the ice. almost imme-
iiately cease jumping about. Many of
them stiffen or freeze in a curved form,
SIS though stricken with the intense
cold as they struggled on the ice. Take
these same fish home to warm kitchen.
and tho will when thawed. kick and
hsp about Us though newly caught. I
have seen this occur five hours after
being out Of water, and have been told
they will live tor twenty-four hours, il
kept frozen for that time.
Our bears grizzly. cinnamon and
black-go into winter quarters when it
sui.S them They are influenced wholly
by season, it would seem. Sometimes,
if one or two bright, WARM days follow
one another in winter, Bruin will come
out for II short promenade; but he
quickly returns homeward on the least
change of temperature. The she-bear
is supposed here to bring forth her cubs
when in winter quarters. No mntter
how earlv you may see the female bear
in spring. she always has her cubs with
her.
will mention fact that has, l under.
stand. been disputed by some professors
in the East, and that is the presence OF
ood-ticks in the swallows nests here.
| refer to- the eaves-building swallow.
l have seen nests which fairly swarmed
inside with these abominable crawlcrs.
This fact is so well-known here that
cowboys. etc., will knock down
the partly built nest and thus discour-
age the birds from building at that par
ticular spot. because letting the nests
remain means having your cabin in
Tested after time with these very eff
cient substitutes for bed-bugs- Wheth.
er these ticks are parasites brought
from the South or not, do not know,
but do know that the nests here have
them.
The snow-shoe rabbit is curious lit
tie fellow; the loose skin of the feet is
enlarged so rs to expand on pressure.
and Bunny can skim along deep soft
snow where no living animal can fol-
low him. The mountain goat has q
similar protection given it by nature;
the thick wiry hair on its legs above
the hoofS spreads outwards when
over snow, and enables this
unsOcial party to wander ut sweet will
over deep and deadly drifts unnaolested
by his enemies. The spreading wiry hair
prevents him from, sinking over few
inches in the snow. He never dcscends
to the low country, unless in unusually
severe weather. In summer, he ranges
on the SUBMITS almost OF the highest
hills. close up to the perpetual snow
line. feeding on the lichens, OSseS, and
stunted grasses he finds there. In win
ter, reluctantly descending part way
down the hill-sides,. only so far As he is
he wanders over the storm
cleared rocks, n:bbling here and there,
and picking up his, living in way
to behold. Silent. wary,
keen eyed and cared. with n wonderful!
scent for danger, he views with SUI
preme contempt the lower world be.
meath him. Ono forgets, almost to
breathe. watching aherd of these fei
lows when alarmed. Rocks, boufderS.
chasms, cliffs, are as level ground to
them: madly hopping: skipping and
jumping, sideway. frontwav, any way,
On they go like 4 drifting cloud. and in
4 moment almost. have vanished
Montana Cor: Chanbsrs' Journal.