The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-09-06
TRIALS OF A NATURALIST.

Visitors to naturalist's home often remark, Tt must be lots of fun to be a naturalist" They are right, too, in a way, but there are many trials sonnect- ed with the life which they have never seen, and which no one sees until he is brought close to it. They see a young raccoon drinking milk from a baby's bottle, and remark, with great original ity, Isn't that cute!" And they see great osprey, measuring five feet six across the wings, plunge into a nearby lake. and, having captured a fish, carry it to the railing of the piazza to eat it. and turn away signing: How I wish I could leave my business and live sur rounded by interesting animals like these!" Ha, ha! but they didn't know that only yesterday that dear, innocent looking little coon, in his effort to reach a 1am-pot, pulled down and smashed to flinders dozen choice negatives. Nei- ther did they know that that glorious osprey kept the household awake the better part of last night, by shrieking at the moon from his roost on the chim- rences, and. although they may be more or less interesting as recollections, they try ones patience at the time.
 No matter for how short a space one keeps an animal in captivity. it Is scarcely ever short enough for the anil. nal himself. As a rule, he will do his best to escape, and unless you have perfect arrangements for contining him, sooner or later he will accomplish his purpose. Mice, particularly white-foot- ed and house mice, are most persistent in their efforts to escape, and their sharp teeth enable them to cut their way through any ordinary wooden box. Even thin wire netting they will work through in time, and nothing short of sheet iron is really safe. Once they get out, there Is no telling what damage they will do. White-footed mice are the most destructive of all. Their first thought after regaining their liberty Is to provide a nest for themselves. and when they are hunting for material they refuse nothing which is soft and warm. They are especially partial to woolen clothing, however, and one mouse can easily destroy a suit of clothes in a night. In lieu of clothing, they will tear up paper to make nest, and one finds to his sorrow that they would just as soon have new manu- script as old newspapers.
 Squirrels are even more destructive than mice by reason of their greater size. Any one who puts red or gray squirrels into a room even temporarily, will find that the furniture suffers at once, and I know of room in one nat uralist's home which requires a new door and a set of window sashes, by reason of the fact that 1t was, for a short time, occupied by a pair of red squirrels. Of course, the prospective naturalist will tell himself that these things will not occur in his case and no doubt he believes this. But he will find that, If he keeps his animals where he can see them and study them at all hours of the day and night, accidents which he never dreamed of will happen.
 Occasionally snake will escape, and then there will probably be much spec ulation concerning Its whereabouts. If it happens to be a venomous snake, all other occupations must cease until it is found and captured, or until 1t has been proved beyond a doubt that the reptile is no longer on the premises. If it be a harmless snake, there is no special hur- ry; some member of the family will probably shake it out of rubber boot or a golf stocking within day or two.
 Then, it isn't every one who appreci- ates the loss of sleep incident to field naturalist's life. Besides the sleepless nights spent in watching nocturnal ami mals and in rearing young creatures, which must be fed every little while in order to keep them alive you are some times treated to extras. These are less amusing to you at the time than they should be, owing to the fact, perhaps, that you are too tired to appreciate joke. For example, you have been out in the woods all day, and after an exci-
 Continued on Fifth PaRaA