Winter Fauna of Mount 31arcy, 



21 



some one of the little vertical tunnels left around some 

 bough or branch or small sapling. This wonderful little 

 animal inhabits even the desolate regions within the arctic 

 circle, as far north as latitude 67 degrees. Richardson re- 

 marks that " The power of generating heat must be very 

 great in this diminutive creature to preserve its slender 

 limbs from freezing when the temperature sinks to 40 or 

 50 degrees below zero." If it is capable of enduring such 

 a temperature, I am indeed surprised, as in 1872, early on 

 a cold icy morning, on the summit of Mount Seward, the 

 ground being covered with snow, I caught, alive, an active 

 little specimen, which, to my surprise actually expired in 

 my hands, apparently from cold. ISTevertheless it seems if 

 not handled to be able to survive the most severe Adiron- 

 dack winters. 



Of birds, but three varieties have left their footprints on 

 the snows of Mount Marcy, the raven, the partridge (ruffled 

 grouse) and snow birds. I never before met with a raven 

 in the vicinity of Mount Marcy, but on my first ascent this 

 winter as we mounted the ledges at the head of the great 

 slide, a number of these huge birds arose, and uttering 

 their peculiar hoarse croak, departed on slow, heavy-flap- 

 ping pinions, regardless of revolver shots that followed 

 them. The raven, therefore, is a winter habitant of Mount 

 Marcy, leaving his footprints on the snowy ledges at 5,000 

 feet above the sea. 



Early in last November, in one of our almost daily as- 

 cents of Mount Marcy, an eagle was noticed floating and 

 circling with outstretched wings at about the height of the 

 summit of the peak. It was apparently of the baldheaded 

 variety. A large hawk — species unknown — was observed 

 on another occasion, and one evening while we were de- 

 scending from our labors, being still above the timber line, 

 a great owl bailed past, gazing upon us with huge eyes that 

 appeared expressive of extreme wonder. 



During the second or third day of survey work upon the 



