40 



NATURE'S CALENDAR 



March 6 



strong and fat; of these the eel-pout is 

 perhaps the earHest migrant, appearing 

 the instant the ice goes out. This is the 

 time chosen by the smaller members of 

 the pike family for spawning. "The 

 pickerel," Mr. Mosher tells us, •' are 

 spring - spavvners ; hence boys see them 

 just as soon as the ice has cleared out, 

 the snow-water gone, and the warm days 

 come. They are found in shoal water 

 among weeds, or where the branches of 

 trees are projecting from the shore into 

 the water. Here they are found in pairs, 

 gently swimming backward and forward 

 in the stream, rubbing side by side until 

 the female is ready to spawn. They are 

 careless fish — leaving the spawn to take 

 care of itself until the gentle undulations 

 of the stream and the warmth of the sun's 

 rays produce the young fry." 



March is the month of frogs. All win- 

 ter they have been silent and asleep in 

 the earth or in frozen spring - holes, but 

 the moment the ice disappears from the 

 waters, and the early insects begin to 

 hum, they arouse themselves and set 

 about the great business of all nature — 

 the continuation of their race. For this 

 purpose all frogs — aquatic, wood, and 

 tree, as also the toads — must resort to 

 water in order to place their eggs where 

 the young may grow properly when they 

 are hatched. 



Thronging to the marshes, ponds, and 

 quiet streams, they break out some morn- 



March 7 



