Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1902-06-19
WILD MOTHERS LOVE.
Most Timid Animal VIII Face Greatest
Dancer,

is the instinct of maternal love even
in the case Of creatures usually most
fearful AS timid as a hare" is a
provcrhal saying and yet as an illus
trauon a mother hare once did an
Immensely pluchy thug in defense of
her young,
A big, good.patwed Newfoundland
had surprised two tiny hares about as
hig as u mans hand and for fun de
tanned them between his paws. The
parents hare had evidently jumped in
to fallen tree top ON tho approach
oC the dos, probably expecting tho lit
tie things 10 follow her
hut as the hig fellow was examining
his lind with Nood deal OF curiosity,
love conquered natural fear and the
hare rushed out and sprang with up
lifted fore paws straight in the face
vt the dog. Drawing back a yard or
two, she repeated the attack to the as
constituent Of che Newfoundland,
whose owucr was by this time at his
side
Completely ignoring the man, she
continued to spar Vigorously ut the
dog, who Was evidently losing his
temper when at u word from his mas
ter he drew back to heel, and allowed
the frightened Youngsters to gamhol
away from danger with their gallant
mother
Sometimes, again in cutting around
aud around hay Hcld with moving
machine frightened haros are found
rounded up in the last little square In
the couter AS such a square was be
ing narrowed down by tho last few
swuths. large hare was seen TO
spring out after the horses had passed
and to lopo away to the shelter of a
ditch near the tcuCc,
\ little while aGtorward, whom thorc
was only u very small surface to be
cut over. the hare was seen to be- hur.
rying back again into the thick uncut
hay The thoughtful old farmer who
was a driving held his horses, aud call.
ing his companions n search was made
10y them, resulting In the finding Of
the mother and two badly frightened
little lcycrots hiding in tic grass,
The bravo mother had chosen rather
To seek death with her young than to
enjoy safety for herself
Remembering that the Belgian hare
has been known to fight mnrRudng
cats to standstill In defence of his
mtchmatos. these instances do not ap
pear to be quito so striking perhaps
nv an occurrence upon an old bush
road one May morning Every one
knows how intensely shy are tho ruff
fed grouRo in the spring time and
what fear of man possesses them at
all times,
And vet when u number of men
disturbed brood OF tiny partridgos
ms they were enjoying the early morn
ing sun by walking right on 10 ,hem
the mother bird dashed out of the
shelter of tn" bush, with cry of
alarm. and with every feather on end.
Such self-eacrincmg hcadong At.
tack she made upon the tall kind
hearted man In the lead, that he put
down bis hands, ana llted her from
the ground with the greatest ease.
NN Nv l'lN lI' Il'NlN 'h'tNhi'
prisoner for a moment or two, his
companions noticed that her bright
bendIikc little eyes were eagerly
watching her speedily disappearing
chickens, ms though her only anxiety
was stIll on their account
Probably not one observer Ia hun.
drod has been able TO catch sight OF
rulfcd grouse upon her eggs, so
clever are the timid birds IN conceal.
Ing themselves and in choosing Sc
cmdcd nesting places, And yet scores
Of people In northern township have
seen ono sitting bird who in a dis,
trict Infested by foxes made her
nest among some dry twigs close to
well travelled road It was az though
she would throw herself upon tho gen.
crosby Of those she feared for protec.
tion against her most nsIdIous and
greatly dreaded foe.
Hunters know that before yenturng
into the open to food or TO drink, the
female deer viii carefully hide her
fawn IN the bush and instruct 1t TO lie
BUN NlillI l'l i'llll IL 'iA'' AZ WIZ
season Of the year an ignorant young
hound surprised doe feeding by
covert side
Instead Of turning toward the
woods the deer at once made for the
open clearing. and topped the fences
before the dog IN grand style The
writer suspectng that she was at
great risk to herself leading the
hound away from her young, made
search for II among the underground
near which she had been feeding
After much hunting no had Just
sighted the cleverly hidden little spot
ted thing which lay in perfect still
ness. doubtless according TO orders,
when the mother having eluded her
pursuer came up all breathless 10 the
spot Brushing by within actual touch
of the intruder she made her way
10 her baby with glad gentle bleat-
ing, and after a moments caross stood
over II, calmly and fearlessly facing
this new enemy.
The writer beat hasty retreat,