THE PRAIRIE MIRAGE 173 



an object of wonder, and they never ceased to marvel at the unusual 

 phenomenon. 



Mrs. Maude A. Fenton, a member of the California Natural- 

 ist Club, is a thorough lover of beauty. For a number of years 

 she lived near Indian Head, Canada. Writing of those years, 

 she said that her most pleasant memories of Canada were centered 

 about her enjoyment of the wild flowers, the northern lights, and 

 the mirages. Speaking of the last mentioned, she says, "Situated 

 some seven miles from Indian Head, was the Squirrel Hill, at the 

 foot of which was a very large spring of water. From it the town 

 of Indian Head had its water piped to the town. One bright, 

 frosty morning in the spring of 1907, we noticed what we thought 

 to be about half a mile away, this hill with all the trees, hollows 

 and the place where the spring was, showing quite plainly. On 

 speaking to others aboUt it, they said, 'Yes, but you saw the hill 

 when the mirage was on, for it is over seven miles away." 



"Another time in November, 1908, one bright, clear morning 

 I thought that some one had been moving a house and left it in the 

 corner of the p9,sture land, about oae-fourth of a mile away. Both 

 Mr. Fenton and I were deceived into thinking that it was a real 

 house which had been moved during the night, for we knew that 

 it had not been there the day before. On closer examination we 

 found it to be our neighbor's house some two miles away, to the 

 north-east. It stayed there about two hours, and then gradually 

 faded away, back to the place where it belonged. 



"During the same winter, we had the chance of seeiag the most 

 beautiful one of all, the Katepwa valley. This valley is situated 

 some fourteen miles from Indian Head, and sixteen miles from 

 where we lived. Lake Katepwa is in the center of this valley, and 

 surrounding it are quite high hills with trees, shrubbery, hollows 

 and roads. Also, a few houses. Snow was on the ground. As we 

 had been there a couple of times it did not take us long to name 

 the place. It looked very natural. This was brought to our view 

 about a mile away. The Hills lay to the south-west of us, the 

 house to the north-east, and the valley north-west, and every- 

 thing showed right side up. These mirages always occurred in 

 the morning, just about sunrise. We never saw one in the 

 evening." 



One of the most interesting references to the prairie mirage 

 which I have yet found, is in J. W. Winkley's "John Brown, the 



