46 



NATURE'S CALENDAR 



March i8 



usually does follow in the northern parts 

 of his range, where, however, he rarely 

 appears before mid-April. 



The hibernating chipmunks and field- 

 mice— already nourishing young in ball- 

 like nests of grass, fuzz, and fur under the 

 tussocks and old haycocks — are more 

 discreet, going back to their dens and 

 storehouses when the weather is too 

 severe, to doze again until another warm 

 spell invites them forth. Hibernation is 

 thus gradually thrown off, as it was grad- 

 ually entered upon. I have read that 

 Canadian Indians named March "skunk 

 moon," because now this unsavory mam- 

 mal begins to be seen regularly. 



Few of the'reptiles emerge from their 

 torpor before the end of the month in the 

 more northerly districts, one of the earli- 

 est being the painted water-turtle, quick- 

 ly followed by the speckled tortoise along 

 swampy streams. 



Winter birds remain characteristic of 

 the first half of March, but the trained 

 ear notes a greater liveliness in their 

 movements, and some attempts at a song, 

 as though they were become eager at the 

 prospect of soon getting back to their 

 Canadian summer resorts. Two or three 

 species, indeed, are already there, and 

 busy at nest-building, but these are un- 

 familiar ones, like the big owls and the 

 crossbills. Among us near New York, 

 however, the barred owl is the only one to 

 breed so early, regularly making its rude 



March 19 



