18 



Winter Fauna of Mount Marcy, 



hither come in search of rabbits, with (judging from the 

 trail) an occasional diversion after mice, or other small 

 game. Its inhabiting these mountain heights directly re- 

 futes the assertion that it does not frequent the same ele- 

 vated regions as the martin. In one place we observed 

 where a black-cat at play had climbed to the summit of a 

 huge rock, and doubling his forward paws beneath him, 

 slid downward, ploughing up the snow. When pursued 

 by the dog they invariably took to their heels, and in long, 

 easy leaps sped out upon the icy rocks fronting the pre- 

 cipitous sides of the mountain, and passed safely across the 

 glary surface of the avalanch-swept slides. Constantly 

 ranging, it seems to have no fixed habitation, and gene- 

 rally selects the night for its travel and its depredations. 



The fourth of these mountain dwellers is the sable, of 

 rich, rare fur and regal name ; the Mustella maries of natural- 

 ists. This beautiful and rare animal, judging from the 

 frequent tracks, is quite abundant in the forests on the side 

 of Mount Marcy. It here occupies a region of country 

 which owing to its elevation and coldness greatly resembles 

 the semi-arctic portions of British America, and it is in- 

 teresting to remark that no traces of it were found above 

 the timber line on the open, barren sub-alpine portion of 

 the mountain, in this respect maintaining the habits of 

 their race, which — according to Hearne and Pennant, are 

 never found in the barren lands near B^hring's straits, 

 either in America or Asia, though abundant in the scrubby 

 forests margining the open. Thus this interesting little 

 animal may be said to become a measure in climatology, 

 and serves to give us as clear a conception of the relation 

 of our mountain summits to the boreal regions of the con- 

 tinent, as does the better known arctic flora. Alas for the 

 poor rabbit, as though not sufficiently persecuted, he finds 

 in the sable an insatiable foe. Hither and thither through 

 the dwarf forest he pursues them ; or, creeping stealthily, 

 leaps upon one and opens its life blood upon the snow. 



