TRACKS AND TRACKING 



a great kicking jack-rabbit. He afterwards 

 explained that he had caught sight of the rab- 

 bit's eye among some protecting grasses un- 

 der a curling snowbank, and without hesi- 

 tating a moment had pounced on his prey. 

 To one who has tried to shoot this swift-run- 

 ning, elusive beast the tale may sound apoc- 

 ryphal, and I must in justification quote the 

 following from Seton: ^^ It is well known that 

 the English Hare and the Common Cottontail 

 will lie up, under stress of bad weather, let- 

 ting the snow drift over them. There they 

 continue several days without eating, and in 

 a semi-torpid state, until aroused by some out- 

 side change for the better.'' This description 

 fits the case exactly, except that the outside 

 change was for the worse ! 



Reynard the fox now reigns supreme among 

 the dunes. He has been a large element, 

 doubtless, in the infant mortality of the jack- 

 rabbits and their untmiely destruction. All 

 is game, living or dead, that comes in his way, 

 and he is fond of the fish and birds washed 

 up on the beach, but the A^arious wild mice 

 are probably his chief dependence. 



His tracks are everywhere in the sand, but 

 should be carefully distinguished from those 



49 



