98 THE ADVENTURES OF A NATURE GUIDE 



both great and small, are certain to find and to 

 enjoy the rare feast that Nature spreads. This 

 region above timberline is little visited by man, 

 and rarely are its spectacles seen. 



The Bighorn sheep — the monarch of the moun- 

 tain tops — sometimes looks on at these feasts. 

 He is at home among the crags in any season or 

 condition of weather, and travels over the steep 

 and rocky prominences with as little concern as 

 though it were the most ordinary of accomphsh- 

 ments. Sheep often cross the paths of deer and 

 elk who go to these heights for choice pasture, and 

 at this season of the year it is not unusual to find 

 both grazing in some rich upland meadow. 



From an advantageous point upon an out- 

 reaching crag, an uninvited guest at their recep- 

 tion, I was absorbed in watching a pair of bears 

 that were slowly, deliberately, approaching a 

 berry patch, when the shadow cast by a low- 

 soaring eagle diverted my attention. The bears, 

 apparently quite unconcerned by the eagle's in- 

 vasion of their territory, proceeded to devastate 

 the berry patch. It was evident that their work 

 of laying up supplies for winter hibernation had 

 begun. 



White-crowned sparrows and juncos flew fru.xi 

 the bushes, annoyed by the invading bears. Then 

 flocks of birds, large and small, began to arrive. 

 Within two hours I saw many of the species of bird 

 life that I had followed with glass and camera in 



