The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-06-02
HOMES OF WILD CREATURES.
That Of the Bald Eagle Most Striking
Among Birds-A Bears Snow House.
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lrIOu Sl. ANICHOldS.I
There is a peculiar charm and in
terest in the study of the homes of
wild creatures. Their efforts and the
result in building these, even if crude,
appeal to our sympathies.
We have admired and to some ex-
tent have Investigated the nests of the
more familiar birds; we have seen the
squirrel make his home in some dead
tree or hollow limb; we have, perhaps,
studied the muskrat and his peculiar,
Idome-shape house. Few people, how
ever, have had the opportunity of Civ
ing the matter extended study.
Among birds the home of the bald
eagle is perhaps the most striking
possibly because of the majesty of the
bird itself 1t appeals to the magma
ton. Built of huge sticks loosely in
terwoven and situated on some lofty
and inaccessible ledge, with the bones
of the eagles victims scattered round
about it gives a proper setting to the
stern and savage character of its
builder Here the eagle reigns sup
rene, and here year after year he
and his mate rear their young. This
is the aery from which he can scan
the whole countryside and like the
robbery barons of old levy toll on all
who pass his door
Far in the STILL white North, where
winter reigns supreme, is the home Of
the polar bear. When the long arctic
night approaches the bear retires to
some shelter spot, such as the cleft of
rock or the foot of some precipitous
bank. In very short time he is effect
ually concealed by the heavy snow
drifts. Sometimes the bear waits I'M
til after heavy fall of snow and then
digs a white cavern of the requisite
form and size. Such is his home for
six long months.
Our common little cottontail, or So
called rabbit, does not live in a burrow
as does the English rabbit, but makes
a slight depression in the ground in
which she lies so fatty pressed to the
earth as to be scarcely distinguish
able from the soil and the dried her.
bage in which her abode is situated.
The rabbit is strongly attached to its
home wherever it may be placed, and
even if driven to a great distance from
it contrives to regain its little dom
icile at the earliest opportunity.
One of the most gruesome among
animal homes is the VOLTS den. This
is simply hole duge in the side of
orally situated on the sunny side or
Ia ridge and almost hidden by bushes
and loose boulders Here the wolf lies
snug; in and about his doorway lie the
remains of past feasts, which coupled
with his own odor, makes the VOLTS
den not very inviting place. Never
theless there is something so dread and
mysterious about tlls soft-footed mar
auder that it even lends a fascination
to his home.
A "fy-by-night" sort of home is that
of our friend the bob-white, yet it
seems to serve the purpose very well.
Under the broad, low bough of small
pine or ceder tree the flock take their
nights repose. Quail, in retiring, al
ways sits in a circle with their heads
outward, and so they rest, presenting
a barricade of sharp eyes and sharper
ears against possible danger,
The home of the elegant little har-
vest mouse next claims our attention.
1t is built upon three or four rank
grass stems and is situated foot or
so from the ground. In form it is
globular and about four inches in di-
smeter. 1t is composed of thin dry
grass, is of nearly uniform substance
and open and airy in construction. 1t
shows great cleverness in this little
animal, which is the smallest of NAM
mails.
The winter home of the American
red deer is very interesting. When the
snow begins to fly the leader OF the
herd guides them to some shelter spot
where provender is plentiful. Here, as
the snow 1lls, they pack it down,