Synopses & Reviews
Cbpyright, 1903 BY DANA ESTES COMPANY ALL ri, qAts reserved A HERMITS WILD FRIENDS Published October, 1903 TO THE LOVERS OF NATURE, EVERYWHERE, THIS VOLUME IS FRATERXALLY DEDICATED NOTE on territory which he preempts for the pur- pose. I am aware that my claims will be vigorously assailed, but I have verified these discoveries by years of patient observation, and would say to my critics You would better investigate carefully before denying the probability of any one of these claims. Thanks are due the publishers of Forest and Stream and Youths Companion for per- mission to republish articles which have ap- peared in these respective journals. M. A. WALTON. Gloucester, April 5, 1903. CHAPTER I. 11. 111. IY. v. VI. VII. VIII. IX. X. XI. XII. XTII. XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII. NATURE CONTENTS PAGE rersus REDICIXE . . 11 SATAS THE RACCOON . . 30 VABHLES . . 52 BISMARCK, THE RED SQUIRREL . 67 CHANGES IS HERMIT THE WHITE -FOOTED lllous THREE PEARS -LIFE . . 99 . . 118 LATER . . 136 THE CROW . . 140 LIFE IN THE IToos . . 1st MR. AND MRS. CHEWILVK . 172 LIST ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE THE HERMIT AND HIS HOME . Frontispiece TREE SPARROW . . 25 Fox SPARROW . . 27 BAY - WINGED BUNTING . . 28 1 BEGUN BY TYING ON A NUT. . 37 ME AT DAYLIGHT. . 54 WABBLES . . 65 PIGEON HAWK . . 69 TAKES PLACE IN MY DOORYARD . . 74 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS PAGE BLUE -WINGED YELLOW WARBLER . . 211 BEE HUNTING . 226 66 AGAIN THE PLUCKY LITTLE BUNTING SET ITS WING AND LOWERED ITS HEAD . 241 MADE HIS WAY TO TIIE BOX, HAND OVER HAND . . 245 CHESTNUT - SIDED WARBLER . . 254 U BLUE JAYS . . 265 WOOD THRUSH . . 275 THE HERMIT THRUSH . . 278 TRIPLEFOOTS DEN . 298 SHE STOPPED TO LOOK AROUND, AND SAW ME . . 303
Synopsis
A Hermit's Wild Friends, Or, Eighteen Years in the Woods by Mason A. Walton. To the lovers of nature, everywhere, this volume is fraternally dedicated. NOTE During my eighteen years of hermit life, I claim to have discovered several new features in natural history, namely: That the cow-bunting watches over its young, assists the foster parents in providing food, and gradually assumes full care of the young bird, and takes it to the pasture to associate with its kind; that the white-footed mouse is dumb, and communicates with its species by drumming with its toes; that the wood-thrush conducts a singing-school for the purpose of teaching its young how to sing; that the chickadee can count; that the shad-bush on Cape Ann assumes a dwarf for, and grows in patches like the low-bush blueberry, fruiting when less than a foot in height; that the red squirrel owns a farm or fruit garden, and locates his male children on territory which he preemtps for the purpose. I am aware that my claims will be vigorously assailed, but I have verified these discoveries by years of patient observation, and would say to my critics: You would better investigate carefully before denying the probability of any one of these claims. Thanks are due the publishers of Forest and Stream and Youth's Companion for permission to republish articles which have appeared in these respective journals. M. A. Walton. Gloucester, April 5, 1903.
Synopsis
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.