THE HAYMAKER OF THE HEIGHTS 25 
call as though relaying a message from his 
station. Many of these “Skee-eks” may at 
times be just common cony talk, while others, 
given with different speeds and _ inflections, 
sometimes are quick and peculiarly accented, 
and probably warn of possible danger or tell of 
the approach of something harmless. 
One spring day I came by Rocky’s place and 
he was not in sight. I waited long, then laid 
my sweater upon his slab of granite and went 
on to the home of another cony. On returning 
Rocky was home. Like a little watch dog he 
sat upon the sweater. 
Another time in June he was out in the hay 
meadow eating the short young plants. I stood 
within ten feet of him and he went on eating as 
though he did not know I was there. Occa- 
sionally he called “Ke-ack” that appeared to 
be relayed to far-off conies. He did not seem 
to be watching me but the instant I moved he 
darted beneath a rock out of sight. 
Conies are shy wherever I have found them, 
and I found many in places possibly not before 
visited by people. 
Rocky’s nearest cony neighbour was more than 
two hundred feet away across the boulders. 
During a winter visit to him I found cony tracks 
which indicated that these two conies had ex- 
changed calls. 
