Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1901-08-02

HIS CuIlOuS COIud 49, bO ldl 90
appearances go, identical with the
winter sleep of eastern lizards. The
functions are in allegiance for the time
and life is at it's lowest ebbb. In OBJ
serving these sleepers | have found
them by turning over the piles of
stones early in the morning, and have
often found a row of them, limp, cold
and apparently dead, lying in the sun,
to watch the gradual return to life. 1t
came very gradually; those lizards
placed on their backs first showing
signs Of life by a quivering of the
limbs, which were then drawn up; then
the long tail would move, and finally
the little sleeper would clumsily roll
over into an upright position; and as
the direct rays of the sun struck and
warmed it into life its eyes would grow
brighter, and suddenly, as though
touched by some magic wand, its
head would be lifted high, the blue
breastplate cleaned in the light, and
with an air of establishment and alarm
this sleeper awakened would dash over
the ground and escape, once more liv-
ing creature, type of activity, men
ace to insect life. Every night in the
| California winter this occurs, and the
condition can easily be superinduced
by subjecting the animals to artificial
| cold. The bears in southern Cali
fornia are found abroad at all times,
while in the northern part of the state
and in the east they enter into COM
plete state of Information, going into
| their winter sleep well conditioned
and fat, evidently living on the latter
until spring, when they emerge lean
and ugly.
The change in color of animals at
the approach of the winter season is
one of the remarkable features of life
The ermine as an example, and sew
eral others assume a white coat, the
change being a protective feature
The ptarmigan has a similar habit, a
change which renders it inconspicuous
to it's various enemies.
At the approach of winter the birds
perhaps present the most remarkable
spectacle. With some few exceptions
they move away from the conditions
which threatened them; and in what IL
popularity called the departure and re
turn of the birds we contemplate {
wonderful migration, in which tho
highest instinct of self-preservation ap
, pears to have been developed. Tit
birds of the coast have definite linz
of migration; the shore line at thi
time constitutes bird highway, owe
which tens of thousands are passing
in the autumn to the south, wher,
i there is food supply; in the spring t
, the north, to the fields they know 81
well, and the nesting places where tn
young are to Je raised. Much of thi
. migration is carried on at night hig
: in air, and during storms, myriads o
, birds are often confused and killed b
dashing blindly into the lighthouse
:, that mark the highway. At Heligc
| land Light the ground in the mornin
n is frequently strewn with birds, froT
ducks and geese to the smallest sons
sters. In the interior the birds TO
: low valleys and the mountain ranges.
On the Pacific coast the Coast Rang
and Sierra Nevada mountains const
/ tute a we'll defined line of travel.
southern California the flight Of crane
and geese along this pathway is a r.
I markable sight. The birds, especial
u the cranes, cover long distances b
{ soaring, gradually reaching With
:, rifle shot from the ground, then the
= stop and begin a spiral movemen
T. turning in graceful curves. fiashin
l. like silver dollars in the sunlight q
! IuGy luIu anu ulSdPpSoli AlSAh6 Wv
higher until they are mile or MOI
above the valley, or above the SUNNI
= of the Sierra Madre; then, as thong
at the command of the leader, the
r turn, and in long lines soar away wit
IS remarkable velocity, literally slidin
down hill, covering six or seven mile
y or more before the manoeuvre is r
peated.
o The winter finds the trees, grove
g and gardens deserted except by I'll
n few forms which defy the cold. TT
" birds are in the South-Florida, Cut
I. and even South America; the reptile
v are housed underground; insect Iii
s has been destroyed or is hibernatin
Is and will spring into life in the sprin
.r The only animals abroad are the mar
a. mails; the deer. elk, caribou. fox, co
"a gar, wild rat lynx and other form
n which wander over the barren waste
and in the deep SHOWS of the WOO
# lands, finding a precarious living IL
's til the spring comes, the wanderers r
"a turn and all life takes on new mea
/ ing.