TRACKS IN THE SNOW. 



Notice whether any grown people or little children have walked 

 through your garden since tlie storm. 



Can you tell whether Rover jumped over the fence or came in 

 thi'ough the gateway ? 



Have the sparrows been near your kitchen door looking for 

 crumbs ? What queer little tracks they make ! Do they hop or walk ? 



In the woods you will find the tracks of a rabbit. They are in 

 sets of four, two being nearer tog-ether than the other tw^o. Was he 

 hopping slowly along ? Did he stop to rest ? Was he frightened at 

 any time so that he took long leaps ? Which way was Bunny going ? 



The smallest tracks of all are made by the wild mice. You will 

 find them under trees. When they jump over the snow they drag 

 their feet. You can see the little trails. 



Hunters can tell by their tracks whether a dog, cat, fox, coon, or 

 possum has passed. Can you ? 



I once heard of a man who knew whether a long-tailed weasel or 

 a short-tailed weasel had been through the woods. How do you 

 think he could tell ? 



Sketch some of the foot-prints in the snow. Tell us whether you 



found them under trees, by the banks of streams, or in the open. 



What creature made them ? 



* * * 



In the fields and woods and along the roadsides notice how the 



snow^ clings to the old stalks of the wild flowers. Shake off the 



snow and see what part of the plant is left to hold it. Is it the 



leaves ? The bowers ? The seed-cups ? 



SOMETHING ABOUT A LITTLE WOOLLY BEAR. 



■s 



In our monthly lessons we have frequently spoken of the value 



of keeping note-books. Have you tried it ? During many years of 



his life Henry D. Thoreau, the great naturalist, kept a journal. 



The following was taken from one of the notes which he made 



January 8th, 1857 : 



453 



