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THE GUIDE TO NATURE 



scene on his plate. These little animals 

 are very interesting on account of their 

 habit of playing 'possum, which seems to 

 be their chief means of protection from 

 their enemies. However, when not 

 aware of the presence of human beings 

 they are surprisingly much alive and 

 show great agility in climbing trees, seem- 

 ingly taking great delight in climbing 

 along slender swaying branches. 



This photograph is from Z. T. Rawl- 

 ston, Hixson, Tennessee. 



Thoughts on a Winter's Night. 



PY WILLIAM SHEPPARD SPARKS, CUMBER- 

 LAND, MARYLAND. 



It is night ! and we are far into the 

 wilds. The Spirit of Winter broods 

 o'er all the land. The wind howls 

 through the pines and an owl hoots 

 dismally, deep in the forest. The air 

 is snappy and the stinging wind bites 

 the cheek, and brings with it the resin- 

 ous odor of the conifers. The snow 

 crunches underfoot with a ringing, me- 

 tallic sound, while the crust seems al- 

 most strong enough to bear us. Pine 

 needles brush into our faces with a 

 tiny prick, as we pass along, giving a 

 stronger whiff of piney odor. Al- 

 though the moon is shining, its light 



is scarcely visible here in the thick pine 

 wood. A leaf rattles shudderingly in 

 a nearby tree and we stare into the 

 dark wail of night, to pierce the gloom 

 and see wdience comes the sound. A 

 dry leaf skids across the snow and is 

 gone. In the opener spaces of the 

 wood, distant vistas of valleys and hills 

 appear clothed in white. 



We near the top of an eminence and 

 come out of the wood on to a cliff over- 

 looking a vast stretch of country. The 

 wind redoubles in force and the pines 

 moan dolefully around us. Below 

 and beyond lie mountains, piled one 

 back of another, gleaming in the soft 

 radiance of a full moon ; each tree 

 trunk show r s out clear and distinct on 

 the mountain sides, with the exception 

 of the pines, which are compact and 

 dark. And far in the distance the 

 heights melt into the sky. Over all 

 is the blue-black dome of heaven dotted 

 here and there with stars, all faint be- 

 cause of the brilliance of the moon. 

 Clouds lightly heaped float gracefully 

 by, their shadows chasing one another 

 over hill and dale, at times obscuring 

 the light of the moon. 



So passes the night until at last the 

 east is faintly tinged with the first, 

 cold rays of the rising sun, heralding 

 the approach of day. Then we must 

 bid adieu, to the night. 



CAUGHT AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT MOMENT. 

 Photograph by W. A. Gordon, Port Dover, Ontario, Canada. 



