The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-02-19
ANIMAL RUNNAYS
HAZARDOUS ROADS
FOR FOREST FOLK
Stealth, Boasts, Battles
Mark Trails Which
All Must Use.

On the wild-l'fe trails of the viii
derness some dim and indistlnct.
others so we'll marked and Iait.cd
by constant travel OF the big game
animals that they have to be absn-
doned. there are no semaphores or.
red and green light at the crossings
or furry police to enforce the right
of-way. Each animal Is a law untl
himself. SO the trail is constant
drama OF contests for precedence, cf
cleverly avoided encounters, of
quick friendships and sometimes
grim surprises that end IN tragedy.
There the high-brows and common
folk OF the forests rub elbows. To
meet or not to maet Is ever the
question with them. In his new
book, Watched by wild Animals"
Enos Mills. the dist 'nguished ma
ture guide, tells something of the
history OF wild life. highway.
choosing as his point of observation
spot where. the traii crossed
high ridge and was silhouettcd
against the hori1oa. 1t was at sun
rise that Mr.. Mills saw the hrst
early travellers. Before him a grizz-
ly and mountain lion met The
grizzly-the .dignified master Of the
wilds-saw the lion afar but shut
fled indifferently on. Within nifty
feet the Hon bristled and. growing
edged unwillingly from the trail At
the point of passing he was thirty
feet from his trail-treading foe.
with splitting. threatening demon
stration he dashed on; while tlfe
unmoved' interested grizzly saw
everything as he shuffled on, EXCEPT
that he did not look back at the
lion which turned to show, teeth
and to watch him disappear. - =.
Hacked Down BY skank.
TT was different when the srizz-
ly met skunk. He saw the slow
walking black and white fodder
with shiny plume long minutes be-
fore 1t arrived. The skunk is, known
and deferred to by wild folk big
and little. Regardless OF his trail
rights the grizzly went on to a sid
ing to wait. This siding which he
voluntarily took was some fifty
feet from the trail. Here the grizzly
finally sat down.
The approaching presence of the
solemn, slow-going skunk was too
much for the fun loving grizzly
who just could not help playing the
clown. He threw a somersault: he
rolled over. Then, like a young
poppy. he sat on an awkwardly
held body to watch the skunk pass
He pivoted his head to follow this
unhastening fellow who was as
dead to humor as the log by the
trail"
AUain rrizz1ag IL n
steady fall OF rain. Each saw the
each gave the right-of-way as
though accidentally. by showing. in
terest in fallen logs and boulder
piles away from the trail Each
ludicrously pretending not to see
the other. finally a passing. was
achieved. the trail regained with
out a salute.
"a meeting of two other grizzlies
revealed a different though a COM
mon form. Each held to the trail
At less than a length apart both
rose and roared-feigned surprise
and soundly blamed the other for
the narrowly averted and well nigh
terrible collision. But no delay for
the last word. Each well pleased
with the meeting FASTENED on. too
wise to look back.
Two coyotes advanced bristling
and passed sharling. Another time
two OF them met. eyed. and then
turned OF in the woods together
Terrible Squirrels Threaten.
Two wild cats advanced with
declaration of war. made the for
est aisles hileous with whoops and
threats. struck attitudes which go
with blood and gore-but nothing
happened. Two squirrel approached,
each loudly demanding the right
of-way. They clustered. backed
UP, threatened. raced tempestously
up and down trees, and finally
boastingly passed.
Many a time two rabbits speeded
silently by without a slowing. a