Winter Animals

nwasasergeantintheoldFrenchwar,andwouldnothavegotcreditforhuntinglessnoblegame.Creditisgivenfordeerskinsalso,andtheyweredailysold.Onemanstillpreservesthehornsofthelastdeerthatwaskilledinthisvicinity,andanotherhastoldmetheparticularsofthehuntinwhichhisunclewasengaged.Thehunterswereformerlyanumerousandmerrycrewhere.IrememberwellonegauntNimrodwhowouldcatchupaleafbytheroad-sideandplayastrainonitwilderandmoremelodious,ifmymemoryservesme,thananyhunting-horn. Atmidnight,whentherewasamoon,Isometimesmetwithhoundsinmypathprowlingaboutthewoods,whichwouldskulkoutofmyway,asifafraid,andstandsilentamidthebushestillIhadpassed. Squirrelsandwildmicedisputedformystoreofnuts.Therewerescoresofpitch-pinesaroundmyhouse,fromonetofourinchesindiameter,whichhadbeengnawedbymicethepreviouswinter,—aNorwegianwinterforthem,forthesnowlaylonganddeep,andtheywereobligedtomixalargeproportionofpinebarkwiththeirotherdiet.Thesetreeswerealiveandapparentlyflourishingatmid-summer,andmanyofthemhadgrownafoot,thoughcompletelygirdledbutafteranotherwintersuchwerewithoutexceptiondead.Itisremarkablethatasinglemouseshouldthusbeallowedawholepinetreeforitsdinner,gnawingroundinsteadofupanddownitbutperhapsitisnecessaryinordertothinthesetrees,whicharewonttogrowupdensely. Thehares(LepusAmericanus)wereveryfamiliar.Onehadherformundermyhouseallwinter,separatedfrommeonlybytheflooring,andshestartledmeeachmorningbyherhastydeparturewhenIbegantostir,—thump,thump,thump,strikingherheadagainstthefloortimbersinherhurry.TheyusedtocomeroundmydooratdusktonibblethepotatoparingswhichIhadthrownout,andweresonearlythecolorofthegroundthattheycouldhardlybedistinguishedwhenstill.SometimesinthetwilightIalternatelylostandrecoveredsightofonesittingmotionlessundermywindow.WhenIopenedmydoorintheevening,offtheywouldgowithasqueakandabounce.Nearathandtheyonlyexcitedmypity.Oneeveningonesatbymydoortwopacesfromme,atfirsttremblingwithfear,yetunwillingtomoveapoorweething,leanandbony,withraggedearsandsharpnose,scanttailandslenderpaws.ItlookedasifNaturenolongercontainedthebreedofnoblerbloods,butstoodonherlasttoes.Itslargeeyesappearedyoungandunhealthy,almostdropsical.Itookastep,andlo,awayitscudwithanelasticspringoverthesnowcrust,straighteningitsbodyanditslimbsintogracefullength,andsoonputtheforestbetweenmeanditself,—thewildfreevenison,assertingitsvigorandthedignityofNature.Notwithoutreasonwasitsslenderness.Suchthenwasitsnature.(Lepus,levipes,light-foot,somethink.) Whatisacountrywithoutrabbitsandpartridges?TheyareamongthemostsimpleandindigenousanimalproductsancientandvenerablefamiliesknowntoantiquityastomoderntimesoftheveryhueandsubstanceofNature,nearestalliedtoleavesandtotheground,—andtooneanotheritiseitherwingedoritislegged.Itishardlyasifyouhadseenawildcreaturewhenarabbitorapartridgeburstsaway,onlyanaturalone,asmuchtobeexpectedasrustlingleaves.Thepartridgeandtherabbitarestillsuretothrive,liketruenativesofthesoil,whateverrevolutionsoccur.Iftheforestiscutoff,thesproutsandbusheswhichspringupaffordthemconcealment,andtheybecomemorenumerousthanever.Thatmustbeapoorcountryindeedthatdoesnotsupportahare.Ourwoodsteemwiththemboth,andaroundeveryswampmaybeseenthepartridgeorrabbitwalk,besetwithtwiggyfencesandhorse-hairsnares,whichsomecow-boytends.