A HERMIT'S WILD FRIENDS 



puckery, while the rosehips had a pleasant 

 flavor at first, ending in a most disagreeable 

 bitter. Many mushrooms were caught by an 

 early frost, and remained frozen through the 

 winter. These were food for Bismarck. He 

 would gnaw out the under part, or gills, re- 

 jecting the rest. I tasted the food, but can- 

 not say that I care for frozen mushroom. 



In the spring pussy-willow buds formed a 

 part of Bismarck's food. I found the buds 

 nearly tasteless, but they crunched between 

 the teeth like a crisp cucumber. As spring 

 advanced, creeping wintergreen and par- 

 tridge-berries appeared here and there where 

 the sun had melted the snow, and Bismarck 

 greedily devoured the bright red berries. 

 Later berries formed the greater part of his 

 food until the hazelnuts were ripe. Wild 

 apple-trees abound on Cape Ann, and Bis- 

 marck attacked the fruit early in the fall. 

 He destroyed great quantities for the seed, 

 which was the only part stored for winter 

 use. However, he seemed to relish an apple, 

 if it was not too sour, and all through the 

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