Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-07

ing fresh rabbit track through an open
field. Suddenly the track came to an end,
as if the creature had taken wings-as it
had after an unpleasant fashion. There, on
either side of its last foot imprint, were
several parellel lines In the snow, made by
the wings of the great owl that had swooped
down and carried it of. What a little
tragedy was seen written there upon the
white even surface of the field!
Squirrels are Wiser Than Rabbits,
The rabbit has not much wit. 1 once,
when a boy, saw one that had been recently
caught, liberated in an open field in the
presence of dog that was being held few
yards away. But the poor thing lost all
presence Of mind and was quickly caught by
the clumsy dog saw the same expert
opposite results. The boy who had caught
the squirrel in his wire trap had very
bright and nimble dog about the size of q
fox that seemed to be very sure he could
catch red squirrel under any circumstances
If only the trees were out of the way. So
the boy went to the middle of an open field
with his Gagged squirrel, the dog, who
seemed to know what was up, dancing and
jumping about him. 1t was in midWinter;
the snow had firm crust that held boy and
dog alike. The dog was drawn back few
yards and the squirrel liberated. Then be-
gan one of the most exciting races have
witnessed for long time. It was impos-
sible for the lookers-on not to be convulsed
with laugher, though neither dog nor squir-
rel seemed to regard the matter as much of
Joke The squirrel had all his wits about
him and kept them ready for instant use.
He did not show the slightest confusion.
He was no match for the dog in fair run
ming and he discovered this fact in less than
three seconds; he must win, if at all, by
strategy. Not straight course for the
nearest tree, but zigzag course; yea,
double or treble Zigzag course. Every in
slant the dog was sure the squirrel was his
and every instant he was disappointed. 1t
was incredible and bewildering to him. The
squirrel lodged this way and that. The
dog looked astonished and yexed Then
the squirrel issued from between his hind
legs and made three jumps toward the
woods before he was discovered. Our sides
ached with laughter, cruel as it may seem.
The Squirrel Won the Race.
It was evident the squirrel would win.
The dog seemed to redouble his efforts He
would overshoot the game or shoot by it to
the right or left. The squirrel was the
smaller craft and could out-tack him easily.
One more leap and the squirrel was up
tree, and the dog was overwhelmed with
confusion and disgust. He could not be-
lieve his senses. "Not catch a squirrel in
such field as that? Go to, will have
him him yetI" e and he bounds up the tree as high
"A ones head, and then bites the bark of it
in his anger and chagrin. The boy says his
dog has never Dragged since about catching
red SQUIRRELS "if only the trees were out Of
reachP'
When any of the winged creatures are en-
gagged IN life end death race in that way,
or in any other race, the tactics of the squir-
rel do not work; the pursuer never over
shoots nor shoots by his mark. The fight
of the two is timed as if they were parts of
one whole A hawk will pursue sparrow
or robin through zig-zag course and not
lose stroke or half stroke Of the wing by
reason of any darting to the right or left.
The clew is held with fatal precision. No
matter how quickly nor how often the spar
row or the finch changes its course, its
enemy changes, simultaneously, as if every
move was known to 1t from the first.
Have Birds a Sixth Sense?
The same thing may be noticed among the
birds in their love chasings; the pursuer
seems to know perfectly the mind of the
Is very curious. When they are on the
alert a flock of sparrows, or pigeons, or
cedar birds, or snow huntings, or black |
birds, will all take flight as if there was but |
one bird, instead of hundred. The same |
impulse seizes every individual bird at the |
same instant, as if they were sprung by
electricity.
Or when flock of birds is in flight, it is
till one body, one will; it will rise, or cir
lie, or swoop, with unity that is truly as
.onishing A flock OF snow buntings will |
perform their aerial cvolutions with pre-
,ision that the best-trained soldiery cannot
EQUAL. Have the birds an extra sense which
se-have not? A brood of young partridges
the woods will start up like an explosion,
,yery brown partical and fragment hurled
nto the air at the same instant Without
rord or signal, how il 1t done?
JoHN BuH1ouoHA \