46 SQUIRRELS AND OTHER FUR-BEARERS 



fall of 1879 came, the muskrats were very tardy 

 about beginning their house, laying the corner- 

 stone — or the corner-sod — about December 1, 

 and continuing the work slowly and indifferently. 

 On the 15th of the month the nest was not yet 

 finished. "Maybe," I said, "this indicates a 

 mild winter;" and, sure enough, the season was 

 one of the mildest known for many years. The 

 rats had little use for their house. 



Again, in the fall of 1880, while the weather- 

 wise were wagging their heads, some forecasting 

 a mild, some a severe winter, I watched with 

 interest for a sign from my muskrats. About 

 November 1, a month earlier than the previous 

 year, they began their nest, and worked at it 

 with a will. They appeared to have just got 

 tidinofs of what was comino". If I had taken 

 the hint so palpably given, my celery would not 

 have been frozen up in the ground, and my 

 apples caught in unprotected places. When the 

 cold wave struck us, about November 20, my 

 four-legged " I told-you-so's " had nearly com- 

 pleted their dwelling ; it lacked only the ridge- 

 board, so to speak ; it needed a little " topping 

 out," to give it a finished look. But this it never 

 got. The winter had come to stay, and it waxed 

 more and more severe, till the unprecedented 

 cold of the last days of December must have 



