1 74 Bog-Trotting' for OrcHids 



from the crawling turtles and creeping snakes, as well 

 as from the hawks and owls in the trees above. There 

 are many natural causes of destruction for such animals 

 in the woods. Usually I have found the deer-mouse's 

 nest in low thorn-apple bushes, at least six feet above 

 the ground, but always near the borders of streams. 

 Such nests at first remind one of a last year's bird-nest 

 filled with drifted autumn leaves, until the little wild- 

 wood albinos are discovered. 



With my vasculum packed full of perfect blossoms, I 

 started homeward, following the Pownal Centre road 

 w^estward, in order to have a look at the Ram's- Head 

 Cypripedium. On the edge of the marsh, as usual I 

 found the two hundred unfolding buds of the Pink 

 Moccasins {Cypripedium acaule). 



Near the Amidon Meadows, I startled up two mother 

 partridges and their broods — the Ruffled Grouse {Bo- 

 nasa umbellus), so prolific in these woods. The old 

 hens, fluttering and sputtering, limped away with their 

 wings drooping, and continued to warn their chickens 

 to hide. The little speckled fellows were soon lost 

 sight of beneath the dead leaves at my feet. They 

 ceased to peep, and being of the colors of the leaves, I 

 hardly dared to advance for fear of stepping upon 

 them. I sat down upon a stone by a tree, and waited 

 for the return of the wild hens. Before long, I heard a 

 rustling of leaves in the distance, and a clucking and 

 calling as of a tame hen summoning her chickens to 

 feed upon a worm. The little brown balls began^one, 

 three, then a dozen, all at once to take their heads 



