VIEWS OF LIFE IN THE CRAZY MOUNTAINS. 539 



when in actual contact, well illustrates the extreme rapidity of the 

 whole proceeding, " the fused surface of each mineral having cooled 

 almost exactly in situ." In nearly every other particular the observa- 

 tions made on the glass corresponded with those above noted. 



In conclusion, it may be said that a careful examination of high, 

 isolated mountain-peaks and areas of loose drifting sand will doubtless 

 result in the discovery of many more of these interesting phenomena 

 than have yet been reported. 



VIEWS OF LIFE IN THE CEAZY MOUNTAINS. 



Br Mrs. E. D. W". HATCH. 



SOME months ago, looking in the direction of the foot-hills, I saw 

 a "jack-rabbit" making its long leaps toward its home, white as 

 the snow around it ; but for its sudden springs in the air, it would 

 hardly have been distinguished from the earth's covering. 



By a curious provision of Nature, this animal, much larger than 

 the common rabbit, changes its color in cold weather, in common with 

 some others, and with some classes of birds. This is not the case with 

 animals that hibernate, or slumber through the winter, as the bears. 

 The change of color seems to act as a safeguard to protect the animals 

 from their natural enemies. The coyote likewise becomes nearly 

 white in winter, or very light colored. The antelope is also much 

 lighter in these northern latitudes in winter. A white deer was killed 

 in Yellowstone Park last December ; this absence of color was prob- 

 ably due to a freak of Nature. The jack-rabbit often retains color 

 in its ears when the rest of its body is entirly white. A smaller spe- 

 cies of rabbit, commonly called the "cotton-tail," does not change. 

 Besides the animals already mentioned as having this property, five 

 or six species are similarly peculiar — the ermine, weasel, and hare ; the 

 latter somewhat differing from the jack-rabbit. Of the feathered 

 creation the ptarmigan, a species of grouse, shifts its summer clothing 

 for light feathers in the winter. Wolves have been uncommonly plen- 

 tiful during the last season ; why, when there are so many more hunt- 

 ers, is hard to say, unless it is that their larder is better supplied by so 

 much additional stock being in the Territory. The strategy of these 

 wolves is remarkable. That they have, in common with many other 

 animals, some method of communicating with each other, and laying 

 plans, is evident. Many a band of horses loses largely by their 

 wounding and carrying off young colts. A young colt, however, is 

 rather a stupid, staring sort of an animal — not blessed with ordinary 

 animal presence of mind, or obedient enough nature, to heed mater- 

 nal warnings and escape with the rest of the flying band when the 

 wolves attack them. These ferocious animals will hang around a lot 



