Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1885-04-09
Oddities Of Animal Life in Elevated Dis
tricts.

In ChaAber's Journal Montana cores.
pondent writes: The exigences of climate
naturally form tie habits of animals, bird:
| and fishes. whe:, in purely wild condition;
| but how can one explain the curious fact
| of the gopher or ground squirrel 'holing
up. 'as the miners call it, on or about the
| 20th OF August each year? The weather
at that time is usually warm and peasan,
| and generally continues so into October
| get Mr.. Gopher about the Is, of August may
be seen skipping along with small tufi
| of grass in his mouth. which, as he disappears
down his hole with firt OF his tail. he
| carries With him for his winters bed.
These curious little fellows may be seen
| by hundreds on, say the l5lh of August;
on the 2lsi but few can be seen, and by
the 2ith you may ride miles aud not see
one. Is this what some people call "inheri,-
| ed instinct ?"
The gophers are sharp IN their genera
ton, easily tanned to come from their holes
at signal aud standing motioniess on
their hind feet, they await the little delieacy
YOU are expected 10 give them. | know one
fat fellow, b, the men chrisieued "Diek.
Who, on being tanned, at once drove al! the
others 10 respectful distance. while he re-
NAMED III the cabin. erect aud keen-eyed.
waiting for his supper. Dick found that the
men sometimes closed the cabin door when
at meals. thus keeping him out. Next day.
though the door was shut. Dick appeared as
usual. Examination showed that he had
dug hole from the outside under the floor.
coming up exactly where two boards had
"a me - m "a -
the oni, possible opening by which be coud
get through the door. How was this
planned The gopher appears 10 freeze
perfectly salid Ia our severe winters. Mn
eF. drifting through gravel in winter have
several times, TO ny noaejge. dug them
out cvrled like bail, but soid aud cold as
though dead. It Is impossible to open them
out when IN this condition they are ike q
block Of wood. But plIcs one near a hot
Iog-tire and soon he vii ~'ralshten himself /;
and first one hind leg ana then the other will
s.ek little, and Mr. q. ~, up and looks
around with beallderel air.
Oar fish act in a similar manner IN win
ter. In fishing through The zee some ling,
the laller four feet thick the temperature
i, usually low, Say from 20 degrees 70 IS de-
grees below lero-ths ti>h. whether trout,
grazing or whi'eii>h, when released from tne
hook and thrown on the lca almost immed.-
atr!y stiiien aud cease jumping about. Mtny
Of them ,isifsn or freeze III a curved form.
as though stricken with the intense e9li IL
they struggled on the ice, Take these same
fish home to a warm kitchen aud the, v,ll,
VIXEN thawrd. Kick and f1p abol, as though
newly caught. | have seen this oocar five
hours after beias out Of water, AMI have
been told ihcy wil, live for twenty fo,r hours,
# kept frozen log that time.
Our bcsrS--the criIzly, cinnamon ami
black 60 into winter quarter, when II suit,
them. They are influenced wholly b. sea
SON. il would seem Sometimes. II one or
Two bright. warm DAYS follow each other
in winter, Br1iu Wi. come or for short
promenade bu, he quickly returns home
ward on tar least change Of temperature.
The she bear is Supposed here to bring forth
her cubs wher in Niutcr quarters. NJ mat
ter hos eaE!y yaA may see the female bear
IN spring. she always has tier CUBS WITH
her
The snow>hue rabbit 4, a cur.ua, little
fellow the loose SKIN ot the feet i enars
50 a, 70 expand on pressure, and Buany car
skim along deep. .oit snow where 10 l.Sing
animal can follow him.
The mountain goat ia, 4 similar pro.ct.
ton given il hN nature the thick, Why hatT
ou 1t, legs above the h1ais spread, outward
when walking over snow. and enables this
un>ociai party . wander AZ sweet will over
deep amt deadly drifts uumar>ted b, hi>
enemies, The spreading wiry hair prevent,
hisn from sinking over fcw inches IN the
snow. lie never de,r,nls to the low