14 Wilderness Ways. 



of me apparently ; they showed no sign of anger or 

 uneasiness. Indeed, they barely moved aside as I 

 snowshoed up, in plain sight, without any precaution 

 whatever. And these were the same animals that 

 had fled upon my approach at daylight, and that had 

 escaped me all day with marvelous cunning. 



As with other deer, the storm is Megaleep's natural 

 protector. When it comes he thinks that he is safe ; 

 that nobody can see him ; that the falling snow will 

 fill his tracks and kill his scent ; and that whatever 

 follows must speedily seek cover for itself. So he 

 gives up watching, and lies down where he will. So 

 far as his natural enemies are concerned, he is safe 

 in this; for lynx and wolf and panther seek shelter 

 with a falling barometer. They can neither see nor 

 smell ; and they are all afraid. I have often noticed 

 that among all animals and birds, from the least to 

 the greatest, there is always a truce when the storms 

 are out. 



But the most curious thing I ever stumbled into was 

 a caribou school. That sounds queer ; but it is more 

 common in the wilderness than one thinks. All 

 gregarious animals have perfectly well defined social 

 regulations, which the young must learn and respect. 

 To learn them, they go to school in their own 

 interesting way. 



