8 A BOOK-LOVER S HOLIDAYS 



handsome. In a few places the forest is dense; 

 in most places it is sufficiently open to allow a 

 mountain-horse to twist in and out among the 

 tree trunks at a smart canter. The tall yellow 

 pines are everywhere; the erect spires of the 

 mountain-spruce and of the blue-tipped West 

 ern balsam shoot up around their taller cousins, 

 and the quaking asps, the aspens with their 

 ever-quivering leaves and glimmering white boles, 

 are scattered among and beneath the conifers, 

 or stand in groves by themselves. Blue grouse 

 were plentiful - - having increased greatly, partly 

 because of the war waged by Uncle Jim against 

 their foes the great horned owls; and among 

 the numerous birds were long-crested, dark -blue 

 jays, pinyon-jays, doves, band-tailed pigeons, 

 golden-winged flickers, chickadees, juncos, 

 mountain-bluebirds, thistle-finches, and Loui 

 siana tanagers. A very handsome cock tanager, 

 the orange yellow of its plumage dashed with 

 red on the head and throat, flew familiarly 

 round Uncle Jim s cabin, and spent most of its 

 time foraging in the grass. Once three birds 

 flew by which I am convinced were the strange 

 and interesting evening grosbeaks. Chipmunks 

 and white-footed mice lived in the cabin, the 

 former very bold and friendly; in fact, the chip 

 munks, of several species, were everywhere; 



