The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-04-26
4 WOODLAND TRAGEDY.
being the story Of cottontslI and Tvs
TOxee.

Nothing is more interesting to
lover of outdoor life than the SELF
written histories of wild animals that
may be read in their footprints IN
the snow In the winter time. BY
these tracks one can gain
q clearer insight into the lives of
these seldom seen denizsrs OF the for
est than can be had in any osner way
short Of actual observation.
This for and the skunk respectively
are the gfsstsSt nocturnal wanderers
Often have followed the track OF the
latter, an interesting ana much ma
ligned animal, and have come TO the
conclusion that many Of his journeys
have been taken merely for exercise.
for have frequently seen where ne
had left his den and travelled Tor some
distance without apparent Object and
then returned to his hole.
nv interest In q skunk's track has
waned since the day ! trailed one into
a hollow rotten log which eaved In as
/ stepped upon it. letting me Gown
upon the skunk, who was still inside,
He resented my sudden appearance Id
his characteristic manner, and l made
a. hasty exit from the scene. 1t was
quite impossible for me to be self
conceited for several days thcFsatter.
But q fox track! / am afraid to soJ
how many miles have wandered
while following these, to me. most fas-
cinating footprints.
Here he dug a hole into this rotten
log in search of grubs; here he dasned
lup and down this old fence In VAIN
effort to capture a red quirrel whose
footprints we can see on the rails, AMI
who finally found safe refuge In this
hollow log; and further on we ma
where Reynard made detour into a
cornfleld, where he burrowed into 4
shock In search of field mice.
One incident showing how foxes
hunt in couples was so interesting to
me that venture to set 1t down.
was out rabbit hunting one win
ter afternoon with a beagle, but,
though the dog soon started the game,
I found was not to secure shot, as
the little animal wisely kept within
i the confines of an impenetrable thick
ct: and after a long wait l decided
that IL was to dine of "Brer Rabbits
I would have to hunt up another mem
Der of the family.
Half a mile away knew where one
had its burrow at the foot OF large
maple. He had been waxing tat all
winter on our sweet corn, and In I'M
agination / saw him on the platter
roasted to q rich brown, and licked
my lips in anticipation.
Herein, however, was doomed to
disappointment, for on peerfng
around clump Of evergreens near the
hole l saw more expert hunter had
tbeen there before me l walked up to
the burrow and spent some time ex-
amining the tracks around it, and this
was the result of my observation:
| The previous night two foxes had
come along the lower log road which
left the forest at point near the bur
row. They had been travelling in
single file fox.fashion, number two
stepping into the footprints Of number
lone. When they had reached point
Ia few rods from the hole they either
saw or scented the rabbit, for both
thad dropped nat in the snow and
crawled forward few yards to the
lshelter OF q hillock, where they evi
Identity laid their plans for the capture
LOT bunny. who was out In the corn
field eating what proved to be his last
meal.
i From the hillock one fox crept for
ward pushing the light snow up II
front of him, so that he must have
/ been completely hidden from view. II
this manner he made his way onward
, Itin within ten feet of the hole. wher
, |he made a couple OF bounds that hat
brought him on top of 1t.
In the meantime the second fox hat
: made a long circuit over the hill an,
crept down upon the intended victim
from whom he was hidden by q raj
. fence. When opposite bunny. an
I about 20 yards away. Reynard hat
stepped through the fence and bound
9 ed forward toward the prey, whom b.
evidently expected to come upon un
I awares.
}. "Brer Rabbit" however, was not +
4 be caught mapping; with rush and
4 double he had evaded his foe and she
e on in the direction Of his burrov
g the hungry fox close behind; an
e down across the field they had spet
n covering eight or ten feet at ever
i leap.
Is Poor bunny! How was he to kno'
:. that in fleeing to his burrow. whic
q had always proved safe refuge. b
s. was sealing his late. Down to tn
fence, through it, into woods and q
to within ten feet OF the burrow, an
the rabbit'e track went no farthe
70 The waiting fox had sprung out
:. meet him. There was trampled sp'
d In the snow, q little bunch Of gra
N fur, and a single drop of blood.
o That was all, yet whole WOO
N land tragedy was written in these foo
n prints in the forest.-Correspondent
In Forest and Stream.
81
The voraoious Bullfrog.
Ipl "BulIfrogs are about as voracio,
~ as anacondas," says Keeper Thonil
nj son, of the Zoos reptile house. "Wh'
L. -. ~.,uro1o f,,lI-urowu ghul1frf