Winter Animals

onapitch-pinebough,theyattempttoswallowintheirhasteakernelwhichistoobigfortheirthroatsandchokesthemandaftergreatlabortheydisgorgeit,andspendanhourintheendeavortocrackitbyrepeatedblowswiththeirbills.Theyweremanifestlythieves,andIhadnotmuchrespectforthembutthesquirrels,thoughatfirstshy,wenttoworkasiftheyweretakingwhatwastheirown. Meanwhilealsocamethechickadeesinflocks,which,pickingupthecrumbsthesquirrelshaddropped,flewtothenearesttwig,and,placingthemundertheirclaws,hammeredawayatthemwiththeirlittlebills,asifitwereaninsectinthebark,tilltheyweresufficientlyreducedfortheirslenderthroats.Alittleflockofthesetit-micecamedailytopickadinneroutofmywood-pile,orthecrumbsatmydoor,withfaintflittinglispingnotes,likethetinklingoficiclesinthegrass,orelsewithsprightlydaydayday,ormorerarely,inspring-likedays,awirysummeryphe-befromthewood-side.TheyweresofamiliarthatatlengthonealightedonanarmfulofwoodwhichIwascarryingin,andpeckedatthestickswithoutfear.IoncehadasparrowalightuponmyshoulderforamomentwhileIwashoeinginavillagegarden,andIfeltthatIwasmoredistinguishedbythatcircumstancethanIshouldhavebeenbyanyepauletIcouldhaveworn.Thesquirrelsalsogrewatlasttobequitefamiliar,andoccasionallysteppeduponmyshoe,whenthatwasthenearestway. Whenthegroundwasnotyetquitecovered,andagainneartheendofwinter,whenthesnowwasmeltedonmysouthhill-sideandaboutmywood-pile,thepartridgescameoutofthewoodsmorningandeveningtofeedthere.Whicheversideyouwalkinthewoodsthepartridgeburstsawayonwhirringwings,jarringthesnowfromthedryleavesandtwigsonhigh,whichcomessiftingdowninthesun-beamslikegoldendustforthisbravebirdisnottobescaredbywinter.Itisfrequentlycoveredupbydrifts,and,itissaid,“sometimesplungesfromonwingintothesoftsnow,whereitremainsconcealedforadayortwo.”Iusedtostartthemintheopenlandalso,wheretheyhadcomeoutofthewoodsatsunsetto“bud”thewildapple-trees.Theywillcomeregularlyeveryeveningtoparticulartrees,wherethecunningsportsmanliesinwaitforthem,andthedistantorchardsnextthewoodssufferthusnotalittle.Iamgladthatthepartridgegetsfed,atanyrate.ItisNature’sownbirdwhichlivesonbudsanddiet-drink. Indarkwintermornings,orinshortwinterafternoons,Isometimesheardapackofhoundsthreadingallthewoodswithhoundingcryandyelp,unabletoresisttheinstinctofthechase,andthenoteofthehuntinghornatintervals,provingthatmanwasintherear.Thewoodsringagain,andyetnofoxburstsforthontotheopenlevelofthepond,norfollowingpackpursuingtheirAct?on.AndperhapsateveningIseethehuntersreturningwithasinglebrushtrailingfromtheirsleighforatrophy,seekingtheirinn.Theytellmethatifthefoxwouldremaininthebosomofthefrozenearthhewouldbesafe,orifhewouldruninastraightlineawaynofox-houndcouldovertakehimbut,havinglefthispursuersfarbehind,hestopstorestandlistentilltheycomeup,andwhenherunshecirclesroundtohisoldhaunts,wherethehuntersawaithim.Sometimes,however,hewillrunuponawallmanyrods,andthenleapofffartooneside,andheappearstoknowthatwaterwillnotretainhisscent.AhuntertoldmethatheoncesawafoxpursuedbyhoundsburstoutontoWaldenwhentheicewascoveredwithshallowpuddles,runpartwayacross,andthenreturntothesameshore.Erelongthehoundsarrived,butheretheylostthescent.Sometimesapackhuntingbythemselveswouldpassmydoor,andcircleroundmyhouse,andyelpandhoundwithoutregardingme,asifafflictedbyaspeciesofma