'5 
NATURAL HISTORY NOTES AND QUERIES. 
Hoar Frost on Trees and Hedges. — The severe frosts experienced on 
several occasions in November afforded some of the most beautiful hoar frosts 
experienced for years. I was particularly interested in a closely-cropped holly 
hedge which contained thousands of delicately woven spiders’ webs, every ptortion 
being laden with pearly white hoar frost, and every spike of the foliage tipped 
with white, the darker foliage showing up the tips to the best advantage. 
On another date, after several days of fog and frost, which had caused the 
elms and oaks to become clothed with a thick coat of ice, the sun broke out, and 
in a short time the brown foliage began to appear under its influence, and 
presently a picture rarely seen of the trees, being brown and thawed on one side, 
and white on the other for a time, and by degrees the sun loosened the frost 
which covered the ground underneath with a heavy coating. 
James Hiam. 
Communication among Dogs. — The sagacity of the dog seems as if it 
will never die out, and we all hope that it will not, as that interesting species of 
the animal world is endeared to us in many ways. A pithy narrative appeared 
in Our Dumb Animals for November, which I am sure will interest the 
readers of Nature Notes, if space can permit its insertion. Mr. B. T. Harper, 
of Southbridge, Mass., is the gentleman who gave the following e.xperience, and 
thereby, also an illustration of his genial hospitality to our canine friends : — . 
“ The fact that dogs have a way of communicating news to one another wa.« 
demonstrated to me in a very singular and amusing fashion about four years ago. 
It was in South Georgia, where as yet little provision is made for the comfort of 
domestic animals, that during the cold, wind-swept nights, shelterless cows and 
mules wander about restlessly ; where chickens and turkeys roosting on leafless 
trees fill the sharp air with their plaintive voices, while dogs and other domestic 
animals must seek their own night quarters as best they can. One of those bitter 
cold nights, such as a cold wave often brings, I heard at our front door the 
unmistakable sounds of scratching and whining, and found upon opening, two of 
my little neighbourhood friends, a pug and a little terrier, asking admission, to all 
appearances. In face of the cruel cold it was granted them, and they were 
welcome to share the comfortable quarters of my own two dogs. In the morning 
they took their departure, but how great was my consternation to see them 
return the following cold evening, accompanied by a large Irish setter, who like- 
wise wagged admission to the warm quarters that he seemed to have knowledge 
of. If there were any doubts as to whether these hospitable night lodgings were 
discussed among the shelterless dogs of the neighbourhood, these doubts were 
removed on the third night, when my three tramps returned, their number having 
increased by another pug and an old pointer. The mute but eloquent language 
of their wagging tails, the humble appeal in their sincere eyes, were certainly 
amusing. With my ow-n two pets and these five tramps I had now seven dogs 
stretched out comfortably before my dining-room grate. By their irreproachable 
behaviour and their many ingratiating ways, they had insured for themselves 
a welcome at our house as long as the cold spell lasted, which was nearly a week. 
As soon as the, cold subsided they returned no more. Is not this good evidence 
of the power of communication among our speechless friends ?” 
2 , Canonbtiry Place, N., Chas. E. J. Hannet r. 
December 6. 
Hedgehogs. — I shall thank you to inform me as to whether hedgehogs 
hibernate, and what kind of places they choose for so doing. As a subscriber 
of many years to Nature Notes, I venture to ask for an answer in your next 
number. 
The Hall, Belgrave, Leicester, Isabell.a Ellis. 
November 22. 
[The hedgehog, when cold weather begins, makes itself a snug nest of dead 
leaves, covered up in which it hibernates very completely, its temperature falling, 
and its circulation and respiration markedly diminishing, nor does it awaken until 
really warm weather returns. — E d. N.NP^ 
