Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1912-03-22

along both shores of the stream, for
recrosses on the ice many times in
the course of a mile. Keenly 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
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 luckless
trout. Beneath the shelter of fallen
pine, the prize is placed and closely
guarded by the suspicious mink Aft
er many little patrols about the near
vicinity made for the purpose of dis
covering any hidden foe, if 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
At some distance from the brook
bed, farther back in the forest winds
the clear-cut. well-defined 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
as long as in the wider lynx trail The
drag of the bushy tail is duly recorded.
as the sharply outlined footprints lead
up to and over the brow of 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. At one place, evil
IDENTIFY frightened by something he has
jumped far to one side, then gone on
at mad gallop. Down to the edge
of an ice-covered, snow-coated pond,
the tracks lead. Evidently recovered
from his unexplainable panic, he steals
stealthily to the cover of the bushes
that fringe the frozen lake. His trail
marsh, along which 1t follows. About
several muskrat houses his hayward
footprints circle; at one particular
dome-shaped habitation the impatient
fox has scraped away the snow and
seemingly endeavored to scratch
through the impentrable, frozen mass
composing 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 le,surely' across the
swamp to hemlock grove. Cautious
ly he has worked his way under the
dropping branches. his keen nose
searching for some promising scent.
He has alarmed torpid grouse, as re-
corded by the disturbed area of snow,
showing the bomb-like flight of the
startled bird at the near approach of
the silent stalker.