38 



Sierra Club Bulletin. 



they afford us of their personality ; ghmpses of their per- 

 sonahty but not of their persons. Unfortunately, they 

 are excessively shy, the most so of any animal in America, 

 and although one sees day after day, both here and in 

 the Olympics and Cascades and in similar country over 

 a wide range, their innumerable burrows, and the little 

 supply of fresh herbage at the entrance to their homes, 

 yet is the casual spectator never vouchsafed a sight of 

 these elusive creatures. Their soft fur, and it may be 

 their extreme industry in the excavation of subterranean 

 runways, has given them the name of "mountain beavers." 

 It is a mooted point whether they make a winter cache 

 of provisions ; arguments on both sides are adduced. One 

 repeatedly sees at their burrows food in various stages of 

 dessication, perhaps the refuse of their daily supply. The 

 study of their habits by intelligent observers is strongly 

 to be commended. 



Among the birds, the ptarmigan is especially worthy 

 of mention. These are in various places quite abundant 

 and tame. A member of the party secured at the mini- 

 mum range of his camera, which is seven feet, three photo- 

 graphs of a little group of these interesting birds, 

 and their closer protection is greatly to be desired. 

 Ptarmigan are so easy to kill that notices should be put 

 up where they abound, cautioning tourists against molest- 

 ing them and enlisting the co-operation of all to this end. 



In this brief review of the animals of the park, which 

 makes no claim to scientific exhaustiveness, sufficient has, 

 perhaps, been said to suggest how great an element of 

 interest the wild creatures contribute. The portion of the 

 community which is interested in the study of them is a 

 constantly increasing one, and every year more and more 

 people will share in the satisfaction derived from an inti- 

 macy with nature, and from somewhat of familiarity with 

 the occupants of the woods and with the wild dwellers on 

 the mountain-side. As a matter of course, citizens of our 

 commonwealth will look to see that taste gratified in a 

 national park. 



