NATURE'S CALENDAR 



Such boreal weaklings as the ptarmi<;an December i6 



and the snow buntings, which must seek 

 their food on the surface by daylight, 

 would be pounced upon by hawks, owls, 

 weasels, foxes, etc., were they not rendered 

 almost invisible by their colorless attire; 

 but It is to be noted that they, too, keep 

 some points of dark color, as do the 

 weasels. One may read a learned discus- 

 sion of this matter in the " Bulletin of the 

 American Museum of Natural History," 

 volume vi., page 107. 



The fur and pelts of all the mammals 

 are now in their best condition, and this 

 is the most profitable month to the trap- 

 per, who must brave its rigors by con- 

 stantly visiting his traps if he would 

 thrive in business. The deer are wearing 

 their longest and densest coats, and the 

 fur of fur- bearing animals is long and 

 close, and most richly colored. This is 

 partly due to the special provision given 

 them against winter's cold by an under- 

 suit of very dense short hairs sprouting 

 among the roots of the longer and true 

 fur, especially noticeable in such animals 

 as the mountain goats, where it forms a 

 fleecy mass called pashm— 2^ Himalayan 

 word. It is from this substance that the 

 warm and beautiful fabrics of Kashmir 

 and neighboring countries are made, and 

 there it is known as shawl wool. 



The hibernating mammals have long 

 since gone to sleep, and those which are 



half awake in their well-stored homes, 



December 17 



