The mountains of California . r too self-reliant aial warlike ever to be taken for a darling. How long the life of a Douglas Squirrel nuxy be, T <lont know. The young seem to sprout from knot-holes, perfe(;t from the first, and as enduring as their own trees. It is dillicnlt, indeed, to rc^dize that so condensed a piece of sun-lire should ever l)econie dim or di<? at all. He is seldom kilKd by hunters, for he is too small to encourages nuieh of t heir attention, and w lirn ])ursiied in settled regions becomes excessively shy, and keei)S close in the furrows of th(5 highest trunks, many o
The mountains of California . r too self-reliant aial warlike ever to be taken for a darling. How long the life of a Douglas Squirrel nuxy be, T <lont know. The young seem to sprout from knot-holes, perfe(;t from the first, and as enduring as their own trees. It is dillicnlt, indeed, to rc^dize that so condensed a piece of sun-lire should ever l)econie dim or di<? at all. He is seldom kilKd by hunters, for he is too small to encourages nuieh of t heir attention, and w lirn ])ursiied in settled regions becomes excessively shy, and keei)S close in the furrows of th(5 highest trunks, many of which are of the same color as himself. Indian buys, however,111 242 THE MOUNTAINS OF CALIFORNIA lie in wait with unbounded patience to shoot themwith arrows. In the lower and middle zones a fewfall a prey to rattlesnakes. Occasionally he is pur-sued by hawks and wildcats, etc. But, upon thewhole, he dwells safely in the deep bosom of thewoods, the most highly favored of all his happytribe. May his tribe increase ! H ^ ir K. CHAPTER X A WIND-STOEM IN THE FORESTS THE mountain winds, like the dew and rain,sunshine and snow, are measured and bestowedwith love on the forests to develop their strengthand beauty. However restricted the scope of otherforest influences, that of the winds is snow bends and trims the upper forests everywinter, the lightning strikes a single tree here andthere, while avalanches mow down thousands at aswoop as a gardener trims out a bed of flowers. Butthe winds go to every tree, fingering every leafand branch and furrowed bole; not one is forgotten;the Mountain Pine towering with outstretched armson the rugged buttresses of the icy peaks, the lowliestand most retiring tenant of the dells ; they seek andfind them all, caressing them tenderly, bending themin lusty exercise, stimulating their growth, pluckingoff a leaf or limb as required, or removing au entiretree or grove, now whispering and cooing throughthe branches like a sleepy child, no
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectcaliforniadescriptio
