Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-20
The Slightest Stir Wakes
Them From Rest.
A RABBITS "THUMP"
ANIMALS AND BIRDS KEEN.EYED
AND ALERT.
Their Every Day Life and Movements
for Food and
Shelter.

"iAsirH ior Inc Evening Sttf
A forest Is sometimes described as COL
lection of trees, and the description is
about as enlightening as the statement
that a city Is a collection of buildings.
Like the city. the forest has vast popula-
ton. without which it would be as interest
Ing as a city without its citizens. We adj
mire beautiful trees as we admire beautiful
buildings. for themselves. but more inter-
esting to some of us at least are the lives
and works Of the creatures which inhabit
the buildings and the trees respectively.
When enter q forest In winter or summer
I am always aware that am not alone,
though the air be so still that one might
hear the growing of the trees. I know
that am watched by many eyes. and that,
at every football. scores Of ears are on the
alert. I know that am causing many a
housekeeping creature to start up in his
bed. and from close observation i am led
to believe, too. that in the woods l visit
most frequently. some of the wild things
turn over for another nap. with the more
or less distinct impression that its only
the fellow with the SLOUGH hat and khaki
bleeches. and there's no use staying awake
for him.
If you go into the woods In the early
spring, you may at first be under the I'M
preston that there is little life about you.
But sit down awhile. and wait in some
spot where your figure will not be too con-
spicuous, and you will probably see some OF
the creatures whose work you temporarily
Interrupted First of all, perhaps, you will
hear a faint. crisp drumming sound-the
sound made by wood mouse, when
drums with one fore foot on a dry leaf.
and after a short interval, you will prob
ably hear the answering "br-r-r-r-r-r" of
another mouse. Then. If you quiet. you
will see the dainty form of the creature
itself, with its tawny upper parts. white
belly and feet, its large black eyes its
well-shaped, translucent ears, its trem-
bling whiskers. and its long. silky tail, the
latter held carefully off the ground in
gra ceful curve. Out from the shadow of j
bunch of withered leaves he skips leaps
lightly over the ground to a wild cherry
tree. where he searches for and eventually
finds cherry stone. A simple matter,
this hunting for and finding of a meal:
and yet to the mouse it was business-very
important business, since 1t must be at
te nded to faithfully every day If he would
avoid hunger or even starvation.
He Sees You First.
Next, perhaps you will be aware that a
red squirrel is peerng out at you from
a knot-hole in an old oak tree. Keep STILL
and, when he goes out to dine, perhaps he
will betray the whereabouts of some store
of nuts gathered months ago. And these
little boards, how many busy days they
representative at the end of which even
his wiry legs must have ached. i some
times wonder if. at the end of autumn. the
squirrels and other creatures which have
been laying. up food for the winter feel any
satisfaction, akin to that which is felt by
farmers when their crops are all garnered-
And wonder If, when the stores of a red
squirrel are discovered and eaten up by
pig, the owner does not have a feeling
somewhat similar to that experienced by
thrifty man whose savings are stolen by
burglar.
may hear the sudden ''thump'' of rab-
bit, who, hopping quietly through the
dergrowth, has discovered your presence.
1t is not unlikely that he was travelling on
business of some kind, important to him
self at least. And what meant the "thump''
he gave by bringing his long hind feet
sharply to the ground? Was it, as many
claim, a warning given to his fellows, or
was it possibly the expression of his per-
sonal disapproval of something which in
terfered temporarily with the work he had
in hand?
Has Business There.
And perhaps close to you on the ground.
a pellet of matted fur may betray the pres
ence of some large owl; probably the bar
red owl which lives in hollow high up in
the very tree against which you lean. He.
too, has much business in the wood, and
his business is with the mice, the squir-
rels the rabbits and the grouse-with any
living creature which he can kill. He is
an actor of many roles. this great owl with
the big round head, and the dark brown
ha If human eyes. Now he is the midnight
hunter coursing the startled rabbit
through the forest glades Now he is
poacher, killing grouse within the boun-
daries of some game preserve; and next
night behold him the farmers ally,
terminating rats and mice and moles At
one hour he is a murderer, Staying per-
haps mother squirrel, whose babies will
slowly starve to death in their nest; at
the next he is angel of mercy, ending
as with lightning the sufferings of some
trapped or wounded creature, which
otherwise might linger in agony for days.
Yes, there is always important business
going forward in the forest and the better
it is understood the more important Ii
seems. There are beavers telling trees
dams, flooding acres of land, and
building houses superior to those of certain
tribes of men, There are porcupines strip
ping and killing hundred trees apiece per
annum; woodchucks and chipmunks exca-
waiting long, winding subterranean tunnels.
muskrats diving for musselS and the roots
of water plants, and mink and offers fish
ing in the streams and ponds. All the year
round, and at all hours of the day and
night, there are citizens of the forest city
plying their trades, earning their bread"
doing their parts toward the carrying out
of 1.-The beautiful plan"