28 HUNTING TRIPS 



and log-cabins of the settlers. Woodmen 

 and plainsmen, in their limited vocabulary, 

 make great use of the verb " pack/' which 

 means to carry, more properly to carry on 

 one's back; and these rats were christened 

 pack rats, on account of their curious and in- 

 veterate habit of dragging off to their holes 

 every object they can possibly move. From 

 the hole of one, underneath the wall of a hut, 

 I saw taken a small revolver, a hunting-knife, 

 two books, a fork, a small bag, and a tin cup. 

 The little shack mice are much more common 

 than the rats, and among them there is a wee 

 pocket-mouse, with pouches on the outside of 

 its little cheeks. 



In the spring, when the thickets are green, 

 the hermit thrushes sing sweetly in them; 

 when it is moonlight, the voluble, cheery 

 notes of the thrashers or brown thrushes 

 can be heard all night long. One of our 

 sweetest, loudest songsters is the meadow- 

 lark ; this I could hardly get used to at first, 

 for it looks exactly like the eastern meadow- 

 lark, which utters nothing but a harsh, dis- 



