Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-03-06

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the course Of "a mile. Keenlys alert, he
travels swiftly along, watchful for
with which he may satiate
the pangs OF hunger. A disabled or
careless grouse trout. trapped in
some shallow. isolated pool, an unwary
.aventuresome wood mouse,
abroad from it's shelter. or even the
remains left from the repast Of some
more fortunate or powerful marauder,
will suffice I'M 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
" explored; into each air-hole Of the
ice-coated stream, Is thrust the rat
like head. to peer intently into the
depths of the black pool beneath.
Through one Of these openings the
long, slender, brown body slips. to turn
and twist with lightning-like rapidity
In the Icy current. Emerging from
the chilling water. its wet coat glisten-
Ing, its eyes flashing triumphantly,'
the agile little animal has It's jaws
fastened across the body Of aGluckless
trout. Beneath the shelter OF a fallen
pine, the prize Is placed and closely
guarded BY the suspicious mink, vt
er many little patrols about thu near
Vicinity. made for the purpose of dis
covering any ihidd len foe. II such there
be- the crafty hunter has partaken Of
his well-earned meal. Some telltale
evidences left behind on the trampled
snow proclaim all this, and then the
tracks lead on down the stream.
r. At some distance from the brook
bed, farther back in the forest, winds
the clear-cut well-den fined tracks OF the.
red fox. The footprints are distinguish
able from those OF the lynx even at
first glance. The imprints themselves
are narrower, and placed more nearly
in a straight line; while the stride,
from the track to track, is half again
us long as in the wider lynx trail. The
drag Of the bushy5 tail is duly recorded.
as the sharply outlined footprints lead
up to and over the brow of a hill.
From the clean, sharp tracks left on
the snow, one can readily imagine the
sly. red fellow daintily placing those
tireless black feet. The trail leads
into an old wood road along which
the fox has trotted.S AT one place, EVIL
IDENTIFY frightened by something he has
jumped far to one side, then gone on
at q mad gallop. Down to the edge
Of an Recovered. snow-coated pond,
the tracks lead. Evidently recovered
from his unexplainable panic, he steals
to the cover OF the bushes
that fringe the frozen lake. His trail
proceeds to the outskirts Of a frozen
along which it follows. About
several muskrat houses his hayward
circle; at one particular
habitation the impatient
fox has scraped away the snow and
endeavored to scratch
through the impentrab BILE, frozen mass
the roof. Having probably
caused the terrified inmates to aban-
don the grass-lined living chamber,
and to plunge into the Black, chilling
water beneath the ice. he has turned
and made his way leisurely across the
swamp to hemlock grove. Cautious
y he has worked his way under the
dropping branches, his keen nose
for some promising scent.
He has alarmed a torpid grouse, as re-
corded by the disturbed area. Of snow,
showing the bomb-like fight Of the
startled bird at the near approach Of
he silent stalker. NJ H; "A I
At one place he has jumped for q