The Springfield herald., 1912-03-01

lC---..----Jahappenings of the past
aajAa A twenty-four hours. III ,Aei
Across the snow-covered field at the,
edge OF the woods you trail the IA
miliar tracks OF the little cottontail
rabbit. BY their side. and occasional.
ly Joining and celebrating them. arc
the accusing footprints of that mis-
chievous pointer pup. who should
have been tied up In the barn. About
a small clump of swaying weed-stalks
are the four-barred prints of such
hardy birds as juncos. red polls. and
the larger blue1ays and crows. A pow
derry mass Of loosened snow Gomez
sitting down from the topmobt bough
of an evergreen at the forest edge. a.
q large snowy, owl II dies noiselessly
back into the silent woods. Driven
from his summer hunting grounds at
the far north, by the Icy hand Of win
ter. he will levy toll from squirrels.
grouse and rabbits. before taking his
departure for more congenial climes
at the coming of spring! His hunting
is methodical and constant. 81 With set.
silent, wings, he swoops suddenly down
upon his victim, like some great
white specter of the forest. Little
round pellets of hair, feathers ana
bones found on the snow beneath his
favorite perch. Indicate tho fate OF his
unfortunate prey. Fierce. rapacious
and Unsuitable. he flies over the fields.
and through the forest, ever ready TO
fall like meteor on some unsuspect-
ing bird or mammal. Unlike most OF
h n LII H out IN
arctic does not confine his hunting e1-
cursions to the night time alone. but
flies abroad during certain hours of
the day as we'll; thereby proving even
more destructive and dangerous than
his ally In crime. the northern COS
hawk. ..,.
Beneath the snow.laden branches Of
the balsams. the round cat!like Inn
prints of the lynx show forth. Bold
and prominent. they form an easily
followedtra through the woods. The
half-buried top of fallen tree. .
cavity left by the roots Of an upturned
stump. thick-grown mass Of rhodo-
demons. have all been carefully ex-
amined by this soft-footeA prowfer in
his relentless search for food. Slight
~ further on. his tran Joins that OF tho
varying hare. or white rabbit. y and
his tread becomes measured and care
full, as he creeps forward on the hot
scent of his intended victim. About
the edge Of dismal swamp the dis
turbed snow shows where. coming on
the unwary hare. he has made his leap
and secured his prize. The limo by
the side Of his trail marks the drag
of his prey on the snow as he has car.
ried it to the top OF an open knoll
Here are displayed all the evidences
of his savage feast Having satisfied
his hunger he has circled about and
several times walked to the point Of
his commanding elevation. One can
almost hear his weird. piercing
scream. uttered In bold defiance from
his prominence. Evidently satisfied
that nothing is to be gained by tarry-
ing longer In the vicinity. his restless
feet have been again turned toward
the denser forest in which direction
his trail disappears. ~
BY the side of gently-murmuring
tce-incrusted brook. appears the sinu-
Gus hunting trail Of the blood-thirsty
mink The little footprints In sets Of
two and two. register in 1.-The snow
along both shores Of the stream. for
the mink in his hunting, crosses and
recrosses on the Ice many times in
the course Of mile. Keeply alert he
travels swiftly along, watchful for
anything with which he may satiate
the pangs of hunger. A disabled or
careless grouse. trout, trapped in
some shallow. isolated pool. an unwary
muskrat. venturesome wood mouse.
abroad from its shelter, or even the
remains left from the repast Of some
more fortunate or powerful marauder.
will suffice in his time Of need Up
into the wind goes the slim, pointed
head, with the little bead-like. eyes:
the tiny nose witches. apprehensively
at some scent borne on the uncertain
breeze. Every nook and crevice be-
meath the shelving banks is thorough
ly explored: into each air-hole of the
sr....-. a.. ,.sst H.. -a..-sa. fyfrt