472 DAN BEARD'S ANIMAL BOOK 



able quarters there, I returned to the house. After 

 the storm was over, I found the squirrel dead at 

 the foot of the maple tree ; the hollow had not pro- 

 tected it from the storm, and the little animal was 

 coated with ice. I have observed that none of 

 these small rodents can stand the combined effect 

 of wet and cold. 



During the blizzard in March, of 1888, there 

 was a great number of birds killed and others in- 

 jured, and upon visiting my chicken-coop I found 

 that an old torn cat, a game cock, and four English 

 sparrows had all sought refuge on the same roost; 

 the roost consisted of a pole about an inch in diam- 

 eter; the torn cat occupied about the middle of the 

 group, its back was humped up, its four feet 

 bunched together, its tail hanging down one side 

 of the perch, and its war-scarred face drooping 

 down on its paws in front; snuggled up close to 

 it was the old game cock on one side, two sparrows 

 on the other and two sparrows up against the game 

 cock. The cat seemed to be only interested in the 

 art of sleeping without falling off the perch, and 

 the birds in absorbing the heat in each others' bodies 

 and that of the cat. It was a strange group, but 

 not a very happy family. 



UNCLE SAM, THE BALD-HEADED EAGLE, 



sits on the chestnut tree at Rock Cabin Cove across 

 the pond, and from this vantage ground his pierc- 

 ing eye immediately detects the presence of friend 

 or foe. He is a wise eagle and has long since 



