III. 



FEBRUARY 15th. 



Masses of Snow on the Evergreens. Foot-marks of Field Mouse. 

 Squirrel. Wolf. Anecdotes. Description of Black Wolf. Fero- 

 city of Carnivorous Animals. Puma. Lynx. Otter. Beaver. 

 Musk-rat. Equalization of Blessings of Providence. Tokens of ex- 

 treme Cold. Sunset. Northern Lights. 



CHARLES. How clear and cloudless is the sky, and how 

 exhilarating is the atmosphere after last night's snow ! There 

 is not a breath of air even to stir the hemlocks and spruces, 

 whose flat branches are clothed with a thick mantle of pure 

 unsullied snow. 



FATHER. I much admire the soft-woods after a heavy 

 fall of snow : the form of the boughs causes it to appear like 

 hanging drapery, and the great contrast between the sombre 

 foliage and the brilliant whiteness of the masses of snow, has 

 a fine effect. 



C. Here are some tiny tracks in the snow ; little feet- 

 must have made these : their path is not more than half an 

 inch wide. 



F. They are probably made by the Field Mouse ( Ar- 

 vicola Pennsylvanicus ) , though I have once seen the domes- 

 tic mouse in the snow at a considerable distance from a house. 

 But here our well-known nimble little friend, the Red Squirrel 

 ( Sciurus Hudsonius), has crossed the road: he makes a very 

 singular trail ; his two fore feet being so short, make their 

 marks close to each other, while the hind footsteps are quite 



