Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-09-19
cURiosITIEs OF ANIMAL LIFE.
Fish in Montana Freeze During Win
ter, Thaw Out When Warmed Up.

The state of Montana furnishes num-
Der of curious creatures of real interest
to those who love to study animal life in
the unsettled country. The exigencies of
climate naturally form the habits of ami
mails, birds and fishes when in purely
wild condition; but how can any one ex-
plain the curious fact of the gopher or
ground squirrel holding up;" as the
miners call it, on or about the Goth of Au-
gist each year? The weather at that time
is usually warm and pleasant, and often
continues so into October. Yet Mr..
Gopher, about the LIST of August, may be
seen skipping along with a small tuft of
grass in his mouth, which, as he disap-
pears down his hole with wag of his
TAIL he carries with him for his winter
bed. These curious little fellows may
be seen by hundreds on, say, the 18th of
August; on the 21st but few can be seen,
and by the 18th you may ride miles and
noe see one. Is this what some people
call, inherited instinct?"
The gophers are sharp and easily tanned
to come from their holes at a signal and,
standing motionless and erect on their
hind feet they await the little delicacy
you are expected to give them. 4 know
one fat fellow. christened Dick by the
men. who. on being tanned, at once drove
all the others to a respectful distance,
while he remained in the cabin erect and
keen-eyed. waiting for his supper. Dick
found that the men sometimes closed the
cabin door when at meals. thus keeping
him out. Next day, though the door was
shut. Dick appeared as usual Examina-
ton showed that he had dug a hole from
the outside under the floor. coming up
exactly where two boards had failed to
meet in one corner; thus finding the only
possible opening by which he could get
through the floor. How was this plan
ned? The gopher appears to freeze per-
fectly solid in the severe winters, Miners
drifting through gravel in winter have
several times to my knowledge dug them
our curled like ball. but solid and cold.
as though dead. 1t is impossible to open
them out when in this condition; they
are like a block of wood. But place one
near a hot log fire and soon he will
straighten himself; and first one hind leg
and then the other will kick little, and
Mr.. G. sits up and looks around with Il
bewildered air.
The fish act in a similar manner in win
ter. In fishing through the ice-some-
times the latter four feet thick-the tenn
perature is usually low, say from 20 to As
degrees below zero-the fish, whether
trout, grayling or whitefish. when re-
leased from the hook and thrown on the
ice, almost Immediately stiffen and cease
jumping about. Many of them freeze or
stiffen in a curved form, as though
stricken with the intense cold as they
struggled on the ice. Take these same
fish home to a warm kitchen and they
will. when thawed. kick and flop about
this occur five hours after the fish had
been taken from the water. and have
been told they will live for "a hours, If
kept frozen for that time.
The snowshoe RABBIT is a curious little
fellow; the loose skin of the foot is en-
larged so as to expand on pressure, and
Bunny can skim along over deep, soft
snow where no living animal can follow
him. The mountain goat has a similar
protection given it by nature; the thick.
wiry hair on it's legs above the hoofs
snow, and enables this unsociable party
to wander at sweet will over deep and
deadly drifts unmOiested by his enemies
The spreading wiry hair prevents him
from sinking over a few inches in the
snow. He never descends to the low
country, unless in unusually severe
weather. In summer he ranges on the
submits, almost, of the highest hills,
close up to the perpetual snow line, feed
ing on the lichens, MOSES and stunted
grass he finds there. In winter, reIuc-
family descending part way down the hill.
sides, only so far as he is compelled, he
wanders over the storm cleared rocks
nibblfng here and there, and picking ur
his living in a way marvellous to behold
Silent, wary, keen eyed and cared, with
wonderful scent for danger, he views
with supreme contempt the lower world
beneath him. One forgets almost tc
breathe. watching a herd of these fellows
when alarmed. Rocks, powders. chasms
cliffs are as level ground to them; mad.
ly hopping, skipping and jumping, side.
wise. frontwise, any way, on they go
like a drifting cloud, and in a moment
almost have vanished.-New York World
Mrs. M. f. Pengelly. age eighty four
worked all day at the polls for the
election of Mrs Florence G. Mills al
a member of the school board of Ksla.
mazoo