The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-08-15
NOTES FROM A NATURE
OBSERVER
As Told by the Rev. ]. B. Wicks In the
Utica Observer.

large elm tree. The tree in my boy
hood stood against the blasts, strong
and sturdy, with no signs of decay.
1t was a favorite resort for the hawks
and crows, and at times for the small
er birds. Once | remember a large
eagle passing through, tarried, for a
time on q stout branch-a creature
of interest to the boys and to all the
life on the old farm.
An old-time crooked fence wound
its way near the great trunk, and in
each corner piles of stones were gath
cred, which furnished homes for many
of the smaller creatures. Chipmunks
were there, and the red squirrels.
Weasles and minks were also active
residents, skunks and woodchucks We
saw daily, and the little field mice
kept house in every stone pile. On a
bright spring day my brother and l
were prospecting along the fence side,
Just at the foot of the old tree. Sud-
denly several little creatures ran rap
idly out of the grass and took refuge
in the stone pile at the base of the old
elm. Boylike, we investigated i'm
mediately, the result being the cap
ture of seven young weasles. They
were quickly transferred to the barn,
and a little later to the woodhouse
chamber. For several days we used
every endeavor we were masters of
to curb and tame their wild natures,
but all in vain. Gladly we restored
them to the old home, frequently hav-
ing a hearty handshake with them dur
ing the summer.
In my boyhood the kingfsher was
a common bird in this section. Now
| see them but seldom, the same birds
however, always. In an open winter
they remain with us until the streams
and ponds are well covered with ice.
They are busy fellows, apparently
ever on the watch for their regular
food-the finy dwellers of the watery
home Perched on dead limb, jutting
over the stream, they have all the ap-
pearance of little old men. A sur
prise comes in, however, when they
drop from the perch-capturing the
prize with a celebrity all unexpected.
One might think that situated as
they are they would be students Of
stillness-on the contrary they are
noisy fellows-uttering notes that are
always shrill and harsh. When ready
for the summer housekeeping they
select a hollow tree, or if there be
none convenient burrow into the
bank six or eight feet deep. They
are not very particular just where the
home is-breeding, we are told, all
the way from Labrador to Florida. Of
course the daily bread being entirely
composed of the different kinds of fish
any place where the fish are found is
home to the kingfisher. When taking
his meals if the fish is small, it is
SWdllOWtu "llllOul II ioi 81 ~
is beaten against stone or branch
until it is reduced to pulp. When
young fishers are putting on their new
rainment of feathers the old birds join
with them in calls and screams that
are not quite equaled by any other
species of birds. They certainly are
harsh in sound but, as some one has
said, both parents may be joining in
Rock a-By, Baby arranged by a
kingfisher Wagner, as a duet.
Very few comparatively of our liv-
ing creatures journey southwark on
the approach of frost and cold, but
a very large number migrate in an
other direction when the strokes of
the wintry blasts are felt in the land.
Several of our smaller animals find
in the cold all the conditions for a
real journey. The woodchuck finds It's
way to the quiet of its burrow, remain
ing partly conscious but without food
for several months. The skunk will
at times emulate the woodchucks eX-
ample. The common bat drops off in
to what appears to be dreamless
sleep when the Frost King waves the
wand of his rigid authority. The story,
however, is told in it's fullness only
when the hosts of insects and other
small creatures yield to the influence
of this marvellous power.
am quite sure that within the
boundary lines of my small parish
millions and millions of minute crea-
lures under this law pass from life
to what appears to us to be death
do it over and over in one winter. With
the common house fly, ! have known
them to journey to this dying and liv-
ing state a dozen times in one short
winter. In the smaller insects the
little fellows that can only be seen
with a powerful glass where ii hardly
seems possible for life to live at all,
the waking and the sleeping go on and
no harm results in any serious sense
that we can discover. 1t does suggest
the healer that is master of life and
death, heat and cold being only names
for resurrection.