194 WINTER SKETCHES. 



foot of every tree in his route in expectation of 

 finding, no doubt, a worm or myriapod morsel for 

 his empty stomach. What a pretty, innocent 

 trail he makes ! His tread is plantigrade, and the 

 imprint of his feet is perfect. He takes short 

 steps as if his legs had been tied. Here he has 

 minced himself along by the wall and stopped 

 suddenly, then turned his course toward the low 

 ground, as if he thought that, after all, the best 

 feeding-place, or had seen or heard an approach- 

 ing danger. 



What manner of creature is this whose trail in 

 the snow begins and ends so abruptly .■' That 

 takes such long leaps, and whose course is so 

 broken, and disjointed.'' Ah! The wings solve 

 the mystery. The animals possessing them have, 

 as it were, only stepped into another medium, 

 leaving zigzag veering marks on the aerial page, 

 if only our sight were keen enough to trace them. 



I look with interest on the path of a bird, his 

 initiative and final step ; his designs and line of 

 conduct, so clearly and neatly mapped out. Here 

 he set his feet firmly down like props as he 

 alighted, and made a few rear and side flourishes 

 in the snow with his wings and tail. The foot- 

 prints are about three inches apart, and regularly 

 alternate. Further on he evidently was startled, 

 for the clearly-cut tracks appear opposite with 

 some brush-marks behind. Along the edge of the 



