104 EARLY SPRING IN MASSACHUSETTS. 
died more than forty years ago (he lived in Ja¬ 
cob Baker’s home in Lincoln, came from Wes¬ 
ton, and was some seventy years old when he 
died), told him that he had killed not only 
bears about Fair Haven among the walnuts, 
but moose . 
March 10,1854. Misty rain, rain. The third 
day of more or less rain. 
P. M. C. Miles road via Clam Shell Hill. 
.... It occurs to me that heavy rains and 
sudden meltings of the snow, such as we had 
a fortnight ago (February 26), before the 
ground is thawed, so that all the water, in¬ 
stead of being soaked up by the ground, flows 
rapidly into the streams and ponds, is neces¬ 
sary to swell and break them up. If we waited 
for the direct influence of the sun on the ice, 
and the influence of such water as would reach 
the river under other circumstances, the spring 
would be very much delayed. In the violent 
freshet there is a mechanic force added to the 
chemic. .... 
Saw a skunk in the corner road, which I 
followed sixty rods or more. Out now, about 
4 P. M., partly because it is a dark, foul day. It 
is a slender, black (and white) animal, with its 
back remarkably arched, standing high behind, 
and carrying its head low, it runs, even when 
undisturbed, with a singular teter or undula- 
