The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-29
ANIMALS IN WHITE FOR WINTER.
A Curious Natural Phenomenon Seen
in Cold Countries.
From the Philadelphia Times.

From the Philadelphia Times.
AS winter approaches and the green of
summer is replaced by snow and ice, Pc
culiar change occurs among certain ami
mails. At the first hint of cold they begin
to assume a different color; tints of gray
and lighter hues appear in the sombre
black or dark coat of summer and soon
the animal is notified with dark and white
patches, finally becoming q pure white
that is at once a protection, rendering it
almost invisible on the snow. Before the
change was understood it was supposed
chat the animals were distinct forms; one
white and the other dark. But it is now
well known that a number of animals
change their color with the regularity of
the seasons.
One of the most interesting examples is
the hare, several of which are known to
assume winter pelage, the most familiar
being the varying hare and the Arctic
hare. The latter in summer, when it
would in a, white coat present a marked
and striking contrast to its surroundings,
is on it's upper side black and a light
brownish yellow mixed ;the upper portions
of the tail and the tips of the ears black.
This color is retained all through the
summer but at the approach of the cold
season the pelage begins to fade and grad
ually becomes white, with the exception
of the tips OF the ears, which remain
black.
This wonderful changeable hare is found
IN the Alps, ireland ana scotland ana III
the Arctic regions of Asia. In many of
the Arctic explorations it has been of the
greatest service to the men from it's habit
of frequenting camps. The voyagers of
the Vega often relied upon the little an
imals in times of need and when food was
scarce.
In America, in the far north, we have
the same hare, but a larger and finer ami
NAL, known as the polar or glacier hare.
The American form ranges from the north
to the middle portions of the country, and
from -fVar, S.Vs1,
changes only slightly or imperfectly AS
the cold comes on, its dark coat fades to
lighter hue, becoming pronounced in
The protection afforded these animals
in the far north is almost perfect, as it
is almost impossible to distinguish them
from the snow. When they run they
seem to be swallowed up in the field of
white.
The principal four-footed enemy of the
white hare is the Arctic fox, that is en-
dowed with a similar protection. 1t is
one of the smallest foxes known, and GER
tatnly one of the most beautiful. In sum
mer, when the ground is bare or covered
with Verdure, the little animal has silky
fur, blush or brownish gray This lasts
until the snow comes, when the coat grad
ually changes. The hair becomes longer
and thicker, especially on the tail and
feet, which are densely furred, and by
midwinter, or before, it is pure white
without suspicion of it's summer hue.
If the winter and summer pelage be
contrasted it will hardly seem possible
that they represent the same animal. The
fox is very cunning and intelligent crea-
ture, as all Arctic travellers have discov-
cred. 1t is an inveterate thief stealing
for the very pleasure of stealing, taking
from the Vega explorers not only food
but knives, forks ammunition, sacks,
shoes and stockings. When the men slept
they would crawl under the robes and
nose them. and if those awake held their
breath, pretending to be dead, the foxes
would begin to nibble them, and when
frightened Off would carry away a hat
mittens, or anything that came in the
way. If followed one of the foxes would
go on guard while the others buried the
stolen goods
The ermine. whose fur has become fash
ionable again, is familiar example of
this remarkable change in color 1t is
common in all northern countries and in
our own country down to the southern
states, most destructive little crea-
ture, killing chickens birds and various
animals, often simply for amusement Am
ermlne has been observed watching
bird, placing itself beneath an inviting
roost; when the bird alighted " sprang 10
IT, although carried a long distance into
the air.
Some curious experiment have been tried
with this little animal -Four or five Were
caught one summer IN the north. ami
round 10 have rich coats Of "A MAHOGANY
brown color. Two We're sent 10 some one
Do the southern states. while the remain
Ger were kept where the cold wintey pre-
vailed. Those ln the north began 10 chang.
40 the leaves disappeared. me sfrarge
painting 81 nature gradually going Oh lIr
I'D the animals with the exception of ~
ilp ~ ils taii "ffe pure white corr
tN1nlfnre had been kept 49, with those
having che other efmlnra fn rhnr,re t-t
n faiH ihey looked fQr fhe winter ehaa..
las aniinals retained their mahogHHt-
Showing eonduafe'y ihai ~ ahas1a
H'yia Nt W ttll 400 De- wise nro.
$1,000 =. ta.tf, ftta.finF ihe animals "a
Ht'fH NNH.ItNI HNHHIU H#HHm faH a..