The Cairo bulletin., 1907-12-03
FOOTPRINTS
IN THE
SNOW

crystal, then we can HE to the wood
showing that there II is always com
Portable. IN the shelter OF the tree,
the frost seems to lose Its ferceness
and should spiteful wind sweer
over the naked hills and fields, and
rage amongst the tree tops. we find
In the depths OF the forest that the
blast Is only q murmur to our ears,
and solace which enhances the
charm about us,
To the lover OF nature, the woods
In winter present unlimited oppor-
tunities for observing the habits OF
the creatures OF the field the forest
and even some OF our avian friends
Before we start dealing With
tracks, We wish to suggest TO the boy
| who would read these signs Alright,
| that the feet OF all animals should be
closely examined, either In life or In
| specimen, then by visits to the Zoos
or Museums. he can note their chs
tomary gait while walking and run
ming. Much preliminary study
should be done In this way. and It
viii certainly be time well spent.
For only occasionally can one acsu-
ally see the track-makers on their
daily rounds, and it were far better
that we pass over many OF the signs
on the snow. than that one OF them
should be enormously identified
The two commonest tracks are
that OF the field mouse and the cot
tontail rabbit The little row OF twin
footprints OF the teId mouse are Of
ten taken by novice for some sort
OF a birds. | suppose because it's
tracks begin at place where IL Is
unlikely any animal could emerge
unless 1t dropped from the skies,
and, when 1t has had Its outing, dis
appears in an equally mysterious
way
They have, however, a starting
point and II is usually near a tuft OF
grass or bush. whore small hole
permits our dainty traveller to crawl
out and write his name on the white
and even page OF winter Follow him
along. in and out amongst the trees,
curving and twisting, tnnneling and
climbing like miniature railroad,
and yon will find another small hole
where he entered to hide himself
from the gaze OF the upper world !
These little fellows, are inyeterate
rambers, and 1t is very severe |
storm which viii keep them under |
cover more than day at time. |
Their tracks In the hard snow are
clear and distinct. but when IL is |
soft and deep their little legs and |
tail leave trait which resembles
more than. anything else chain I
with links Joined together.
:. The tracks of the cottontaii are q
study in Themselves The two prints
In front are made By the hind feet,
while the hind ones are set there by
the. front feet This is due to over
reaching. feature one will not won
der at when he sees the doubling
up" rabbit makes In the air with
every bound he takes.
While nearly everybody Is aware
that rabbits hind foot Is larger
han its fore foot. there are few who
who can correctly tell the direction
he animal is travelling by looking at
is tracks.
The house cat makes a very de-
iberate track, every foot print clear
md distinct, and evidently put down
With extreme caution. Cat prints are
'asily Identified. when once seen. but
here ia no uniformity as to how
hey lay their course.
or the birds that visit the snowy
'laces, we find the horned lark, lap
and longspur, snowflake, robin and
rows the most numerous
The horned lark leaves a dragging ,
rail. Its methodical crouching
Fslk, and long spurs will some !
Ines cut two parallel lines. from ,
hitch YOU can hardly find where the ,
eet have rested. and again. It will r
eave a trail as distinct as one could Il
'ish for. II is an uncertain ranger. 4
ut this Is due to its continued 4
sarch for food. AMI although It must I,
amer severely In winter for the ne
essities OF life. Il is as cheerful In its
,ng az II the cares Of the world be-
'nged 10 some other bird. Along the A
abroad tracks. and on the bare spots n
! the open fields. one canalways hear \
8 musical song. though al times 1t q
Its this short and melts the notes =
ito piteous appeal. which to me q
always interpreted as a cry for !,
'od
The crows are ever with MS In | q,
INNER they track the newly pioved
nd, and phil the sproutiue grain. b
Id In winter they visit the same a
Ids. and renew the walks they pre- cl
ousiy TOOK under more congeniai n,
les. Their track is a lodging one. Of
It withsl distinct. The impressions a.
the warts on the Zoe joints. and
e tspering cuts made BY the claws 70
e visible under favorable condI- a,
ms :,
One day while following tracks r.
rough svampy piece OF ground 7 al
me upon the track Of mouse. At y,
ct Il lodged in and out In the n.
usl way. and then led o1t into an n
en- spot some couple OF huudr.df m
Yards across The thought Mashed ".
on una /