EARLY SPRING IN MASSACHUSETTS. 105 
tion, like the walking of a Chinese lady. Very 
slow ; I hardly have to run to keep up with it. 
It has a long tail which it regularly erects when 
I come too near, and prepares to discharge its 
liquid. It is white at the end of the tail, on 
the hind head, and in a line on the front of the 
face. The rest black, except the flesh-colored 
nose (and I think, feet).It tried repeat¬ 
edly to get into the wall, and did not show 
much cunning. Finally it steered for an old 
skunk or woodchuck hole under a wall four rods 
off and got into it, or under the wall, at least, 
for the hole was stopped up. There I could 
view it closely and at leisure. It has a remarka¬ 
bly long, narrow, pointed head and snout which 
enable it to make those deep narrow holes in 
the earth by which it probes for insects. Its 
eyes are bluish-black, and have an innocent, 
child-like expression. It made a singular loud 
patting sound repeatedly on the frozen ground 
under the wall, undoubtedly with its fore feet. 
(I saw only the upper part of the animal.). . . . 
Probably it has to do with getting its food, 
patting the earth to get the insects or worms, 
though why it did so then, I know not. Its 
track was small and round, showing the nails; 
a little less than an inch in diameter. Its steps 
alternate, five or six inches by two or two and 
a half, sometimes two feet together. There is 
