The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-11-15

ships. They are confronted with prob
 lems which if they are not already solv- ed, must be attended to at once. In most cases their problems are those of food and shelter; sometimes one, sometimes both. Of course, the question of protection also comes up and although this is always before them in some eases at least, it requires a special answer in winter. For this reason the fur of the Canadian hare. the ermine and some other mammals, and the plumage of the white-tailed ptarni- gan change from the brown color of
 summer to pure white. making them prac- tically invisible in the snow. Then In order that they may travel more easily over snow-covered ground, the feet of
 many animals are subject to peculiar modification at this season. As we all know, horny fringes grow l upon the toes of grouse, the hoofs of cer-
 tain deer become broader. and the feet
 of rabbits become wide. hairy pads. But these latter advantages. derived from change of color or growth peculiar to the season, are attained without any ef-
 fort on the part of the creatures them- selves. In order to obtain food and shel- ter for the winter, however, some animals are obliged to make active preparation. Perhaps the best-known example of | such preparation is that of the beavers. which first make a pond by damming a stream with trees, brush. stones and mud. and then. in the pond thus made erect stanch huts whose roofs are well above the water and whose doorways are well below 1t. Here they. spend the winter, | swimming out under the ice in search of aquatic roots, or the bark of trees and bushes growing near the water. or when other food fails them. eating the bark of saplings carried to the bottom of the pond and stored away near the huts in | the autumn. Unfortunately. few of us l ever get chance to see either of these | animals or their works, for not only have | the beavers been almost exterminated, | but those which still survive often spend | their winters in holes in the banks of | streams. afraid to make dam or rear hut lest 1t be the signal for massacre. | We can, however. get some idea of the | beavers natural preparation for winter | by watching the muskrats which have
 somewhat similar habits. The muskrat
 makes no dam. but chooses for the site | of his winter home a pond already in
 existence. Here he builds hut or lodge
 on the same general plan as the beavers,
 but much smaller. The material used in
 its construction is usually that which is
 easiest to obtain-sticks, leaves. moss grass, and the stems of bulrushes. being
 among the materials I have seen used | by this animal. As far as know musk
 rats lay up no food for the winter. but
 depend entirely upon what they can pick
 up from day to day. Like the beavers.
 they are partial to the roots of aquatic
 plants and fragments of these are often | seen beneath the ice, where they have | floated from the spot where some rat has
 been at work. Muskrats also go out into
 the fields through holes in the ice to eat
 any winter apples they may find under | the trees, or to glean corn or other grain
 which may have been left by the farm
 CTS. They occupy their well-built houses
 chiefly in the daytime.
 The Little Chief Hare or Pica of the West is another of our provident wild
 creatures This little fellow is apparently
 ralated to the rabbits on one side and | to the rats on the other. Pleas live on the slopes of the mountains, where in
 holes and crevices. among the rocks and
 boulders they find safe retreats. They are most industrious, and spend much
 time fin gathering mountain plants. which they pile into "haystacks" for their use | in the winter.
 It would probably be difficult to mention
 more provident animal than the common
 chipmunk which for months now has been
 carrying into his long. winding. under ground tunnel a store of nuts. grains, and
 seeds of different kinds. which would prob aply laSL HlIn TOT two winters IT Lnef0 | should be a famine next year.
 The red and the gray squirrels, too,
 have been busy collecting nuts for several
 weeks past. and many are the piles of
 shellbarks and butternuts hidden away in
 hollow trees, old woodchuck burrows, and
 under prostrate logs in the. woods. But | these creatures are not nearly so depen- dent on their winter stores as the chip | munk is, for red and gray squirrels are
 abroad more or less all winter. while the
 little hackhee sticks to his den from fall | until spring.
 Tho woodchuck works on a different plan. He stuffs himself all spring. sum
 mer. and autumn. and becomes so fat that he needs no food at all in the winter.
 So he digs a long. deep burrow. which
 usually winds about among rocks and tree roots, and near the end of 1t he
 makes a snug nest of leaves or grass
 Then he plugs the entrance with soil and
 leaves. to keep out cold air. and goes to
 sleep, to awaken in February or March,
 with a thin body and a ravenous appetite The flying squirrels, too, sleep away the
 winter. but their slumber is less sound
 than that of the woodchuck. They do
 not wake up to eat, so far as I know,
 but If. on a warm day in winter, one
 taps gently on the hollow tree where they
 have their nest. they will come out in
 one. two. three order. and sail away through the woods.