New-York tribune., 1903-03-22

the ripe heechnuts-not heavy enough for that. yet
too heavy for the feet of any prower Of the woods
to make his stealthy hunting. Pr-r-rr-ush.
swish! thump! Something struck the stem of
bush heavily. and brought down a rustng shower
Of leaves: then out from under the low branches
rolled something that I had never before-a
heavy grayish ball, as big a half-bushel basket,
so covered with leaves that one could not tell what
was inside 1t II some had covered a
big kettle with glue and sent 1t rolling down the
hill. picking up dead leaves It went So the
queer thing tumbled past my feet purring, crack
ling. growing bigger and more ragged every mo-
ment as 1t gathered up more leaves. till 1t reached
the bottom OF sharp pitch and lay still l stole
after it cautiously; suddenly it moved. unrolled
itself. Then out Of the ragged a big
porcupine."
One would like to know what Mr.. IOnT had for
supper the night he dreamed this dream. tie had
probably just read or heard the old legend OF the
porcupine rolling under an apple and
walking off to his den with his quills stuck full of
apples; this. with late supper of Welsh 'ra bbit
had doubtless caused this fantastic vision to dance
through his brain But how did he to be-
lieve 1t was real experience? That is the mys-
terry. One doubts his ever having met porcupine
in the woods he would know that these crea-
lures do not their noses with their tails; the
tail is always extended fiat upon the ground and
used a weapon of defense
There many, very many. things in our own
natural history that do know I add little
to my knowledge Of it every year, and hope TO
keep on DONG so as long as / NFeS Out no hIlO"
that Mr. Long draws the long bow when he says
he has the great blue heron break up frog
and scatter the fragments upon the water and
then wait to spear the little fish that might be
thus attracted; when he describes crcum
Startinily in OF his late magazine articles. how
he had peep into the kingfsher's Kindergarten
and the old birds go fishing downstream and
return with small minnows which they placed in d
shallow pool near the main stream, and then went
off and fetched their young ia the spot and in
str ted hen N Sin sinners he
had said that he the parent birds fishing with
hook and line. or dragging net Of their own knit
ting his statement would have been just cred
ibe.
What discoveries he has made. Among others.
that the red squirrel has cheek pockets In which
he can carry half dozen chestnuts at a time,
Has he really never q red squirrel, or does
he not know him from a chpmunk? There is
probably not natural history museum in the land
that would not pay fine for a red squirrel
with pouches in his cheeks.
What fun the fishermen and hunters and farmers
must have had with Mr.. Long! Some fisherman
along the coast told him that the fox catches crabs
by trailing his brush the water as bait; the
crab sezes it. whercupon the fox springs away and
jerks the crab to land. Mr. Long hopes
firm the observation some time.
An old fox hunter found him still more gullible.
He told him how one morning he made the dis
Covcry that fox in his hencoOp killing his
chickens. Approa ching cautiously he closed the
opening and had the fox d prisoner. On entering
the coop few moments later. what his
prise to find one dead pulet and dead fox beside
it. He concluded the thief had tumbled down from
the and broken hts neck. lie laid both the
fox and his victim box outside the door. a
minute later both fox and pulot gone! The
fox only playing possum" and when he left
he took his chicken with him,
He knew Of II black fox that played the same
trick. A boy caught 1t in trap, and found It In
the morning apparently dead and frozen stiff. lie
carried It home in triumph his shoulder. (Or
Course the fox had suppressed its animal heat
alsoD He removed the trap from the frozen leg,
stroked and admired his beautiful prize. and then.
as he turned his attention away for moment.
he had a dazed vision Of flying black animal
that seemed to perch instant the log fence
and vanish among ths Spruces." Could crsduIity
any further Go1