The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-11-21
Signs of Mild Winter.

sportsman, who returned from the
| Maine woods a few days ago, wrote
| for the North American while at his
camp, his annual weather observa ton
For two seasons Mr.. Martindale's win
ter representation has been so won
derfully accurate as to make him a
genuine weather prophet in the popu-
lar regard
The prediction for the coming win
ter was posted in Maine more than a
week ago, but owing to the slow mails
In the wilderness it has lust arrived.
The full text follows:
"On the 18th of October, 1905, the
streams were low in this neighbour
hood; the swamps and boys were dry;
the deer were walking around in their
summer coats; the ducks and wading
birds were still with us. The musk
rats were building a house on our
little wharf, eight inches above the
water, showing that they did not ex-
pect either big rush of ice or water
In the spring to carry away the house.
The beavers were taking things easy
and were making very little prepare
ton for winter. They had not even
built their dam yet. In addition to
all these signs, most of the summer
birds were still with US
From all of these conditions 1 was
induced to mail the North American
would likely be a late and mild one.
This prognosfs was verified, for the
winter proved to be one of the mi1dest
on record.
"on October IS, 1906. I found the
conditions radically different. The
swamps were full to overlooking with
water. The ducks had migrated on
the 18th of the month. The deer
wore their heavy winter suits, which,
however, might have been due to
plenty Of feeding. The muskrats
were building their houses some three
feet above the water, and the beavers
were as busy as beavers could be in
cutting wood for their winters sus-
tenance. Their dam was built to a
considerable height, and three trees
were partly cut through, with which
we supposed they were going to still
further raise the pitch of their dam.
which had five sideways to carry off
the water. Lastly, most of the small
birds had taken their fight for the
south.
On the 18th of this present month
we were storm-bound and could not
get up our stream with the canoe On
around the lake, besides going
through the dead water and thorough
rare to the upper part of the stream
And on the goth 1 made a trip over
two ridges.
81 found four varieties of wood
peckers, including the cock of the
woods or great red-headed wood
pecker, song sparrows, bluejays, red
breasted groS bills, chickadeeS a
horned owl and moose birds
Although the coves and dead wat
ers in and around the lake were froz-
en- over, there were more ducks feed
ing in the lake than 1 had even seen
at any time before.
"a pair Of grown-up looms, with
one little one, were still there, and
this morning a large flock of wild
geese passed over, going south.
mot muskrat house was any,
where to be seen, and the swamps and
boys were comparatively free of wat
er
"The beavers had not fixed their
dam up for the winter nor were they
cutting down any trees for winter
use. Two trees were partly cut
through and one completely severed.
noted
Il, therefore, from the result Of
these observations venture to predict
that the coming winter will be a late
and a moderate one."-Philadelphia
North American.