The Celina Democrat. (Celina, O. [Ohio]) 1895-1921, 1912-03-08

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 obllterating them, are
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 blue-iays and crows. A pow
derry mass of loosened snow comes
sitting down from the topmost bough
of an evergreen at the forest edge, as
a large snowy owl flies 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 ievy 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. 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 and
bones found on the snow beneath his
favorite perch indicate the fate Of his
unfortunate prey Fierce, rapacious
and Unsuitable, he flies over the fields.
and through the forest, ever ready TO
fall like a meteor on some unsuspect-
ing bird or mammal. Unlike most OF
nd % the
arctic does not conflne his hunting ex-
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 gos-
hawk.
Beneath the snow-laden branches Of
the balsams the round cat-like i'm
prints of the lynx show forth. Bold
and prominent, they form an easily
followed trail through the woods. The
half-buried top of a fallen tree,
cavity left by the roots Of an upturned
stump, a thick-grown mass of rhodo-
demons, have all been carefully ex-
amined by this soft-footed prowler in
his relentless search for food Slight
ly further on, his trail joins that Of the
varying hare, or white rabbit" and
his tread becomes measured and care
full as he creeps forward on the hot
scent of his intended victim. About
the edge of a dismal swamp the dis
turbed snow shows where, coming on
the unwary hare, he has made his leap
and secured his prize. The line 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,
ice-incrusted brook. appears the sinu-
GUS hunting trail of the blood-thirsty |
mink. The little footprints in sets of |
two and two, register in 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. Keenly alert, he |
travels swiftly along, watchful for |
anything with which he may satiate
the pangs of hunger. A disabled or
careless grouse a 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 maraudor,
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 twitches 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