The drawing of winter's curtain always reveals a 
multitude of silent activities* Nature has not been 
dead nor yet sleeping, but has been quietly active 
through the long months of snow* The root leaves 
of Asters and Goldenrods are green and vigorous* 
The Evening Primrose has withstood the frost* The 
Dandelion is green with promise* All the evergreens 
are awaiting a welcome* But the revelations of 
animal activity are far more interesting* Ramified 
burrows of the little Field Mice and Shore Mice are 
still preserved in the melting masses of icy snow 
lingering in shaded hollows* These little fellows are 
not really Mice, but they are so diminutive that it 
seems ridiculous to call them by the aggressive name 
“ Arvicola*” They are closely related to the Beaver, 
and during the long winter have made an unusual 
attempt to imitate the ways of their big, industrious 
cousin* They have not been content, as usual, with 
girdling the small trees under the snow* In many 
places they have cut down shrubs as thick as the 
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