LITTLE BEASTS AND HOW TO FIND THEM 



of the foot and giving the impression of the 

 track of a much larger animal. A damp snow is 

 nearly always satisfactory for tracking, though 

 decidedly unpleasant to walk in ; and it often 

 happens that the clearest tracks will be found 

 in snow that has been almost wasted away by 

 the rains. 



For some reason or other, the first snow of the 

 season usually shows few tracks upon its surface ; 

 perhaps because the feet of the wild creatures have 

 not become toughened against its chill, and they 

 avoid moving about any more than is necessary. 

 At all events, the number of tracks is apt to in- 

 crease with each successive snow-storm until the 

 last of the season, so that snow in the last of 

 April is sure to present a perfect crisscross of 

 tracks before it is many hours old, partly owing, 

 no doubt, to the hibernating animals, who have 

 nearly all waked up by that time. 



When snow is melting rapidly, it is easy to 

 tell at a glance just how long each of the more 



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