42 



NATURE'S CALENDAR 



March lo 



ser, or ' herring-hoppers,' from their ap- 

 pearance at the commencement of the 

 herring season." This popular observa- 

 tion was no more exact than that which 

 named the shadbush or called the golden- 

 winged woodpecker "shad spirit." 



During the last half of this first spring 

 month you may gather varied tadpoles 

 from every pool, which mature with more 

 or less rapidity, according to the warmth 

 they get. These tadpoles form a part of 

 the food of many fishes, turtles, and even 

 of the large predaceous water insects 

 that are already abroad and active. The 

 frogs themselves are preyed upon by va- 

 rious owls and hawks, especially by the 

 slate-colored marsh hawk, which is one 

 of the earliest arrivals (staying all winter 

 in the Southern-Middle States), and later 

 by snakes, mergansers, herons, and the 

 like, and by such mammals as the skunk. 



The toads and salamanders (except a 

 few of the common green newts, which 

 seem to breed all the year round) lay 

 their eggs later. Most of the salamanders 

 are awake before the end of the month in 

 ordinary seasons. 



Ask a farmer : " What is the earliest 

 sign of spring ?" and he will probably say : 

 "The shedding of her coat by my old 

 mare." Not only the horses, the cattle, 

 and the family dog are putting off their 

 winter overcoats of warmer fur, but wild 

 animals do the same, as March advances; 

 and in the North the animals whose coats 



March ii 



