Ranger John Smith reported an amusing incident that took place on the Kautz Creek Trail. As he paused to rest he noted, in the dust of the trail, what he took to be a peculiarly shaped bear track. Leaning over to examine it, he was startled to have the "track" jump right up out of the trail toward his face. A large toad (Bufo boreas) had buried itself in the dust of the trail and had become alarmed at Ranger Smith's close approach. (N.N.D.)

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Apparently encouraged by the long summer many plants, during last season, produced a second crop of blossoms during the month of August. In the case of the Cinquefoil (Potentilla flabellifolia), the flowers, while less numerous than the first "crop", were larger, and more perfectly formed. They grew on short stems usually not more than two inches in length. Other plants developing blossoms for the second time were the Canada dogwood (Cornus canadensis), red heather (Phyllodoce empetriformis), and purple aster (Eucephalis ledophyllus) (N.N.D.)

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While the Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis saturatus) is one of the most loved and interesting of the smaller mammals that greet the Park visitor, he bids fair to become rather scarce about Yakima Park if the Weasel continues to increase in number in that vicinity. On several occasions during the month of August, Weasels have been seen carrying the young of the ground squirrels from their burrows, tightly gripped in their mouths while the mother squirrel scurried about in agitated, but helpless fear. From the window of the museum room in the "Blockhouse", three Weasels were observed searching the woodpile for more prey. They showed very little fear, peering through the windows at interested observers. (E. Danner)

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Park visitors, enjoying restful slumber in the housekeeping cabins of the Rainier National Park Company at Longmire during the early hours of morning, were occasionally awakened rudely by a barrage of what was apparently a salvo of rocks hurled by mischievous small boys. However, the cause of the unpleasant disturbance was discovered to be numerous cones that were being cut from the branches of tall trees by industrious Douglas Squirrels (Sciurus douglasii douglasii). These cones, falling upon the roofs of the cabins, usually brought the householder from bed, first in indignation and then, upon realizing the cause, in appreciative interest. (Earl Homuth)

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Persistence is a quality frequently found to an unbelievable degree among animals. As an example, a pair of Western Robins (Turdus migratoris caurinus) started to build a nest beneath the eaves of a cabin at Paradise Valley about the middle of May. They were disturbed when the cabin was occupied, and shifted their activities to the opposite corner of the building. The nest was nearly completed for the second time when a load of stove wood was dumped nearby and hastily stacked on the porch. The robins did not give up, but started a new nest in the protection of the back corner of the cabin, but this space was soon appropriated for the storage of the wood, again routing the unfortunate homeseekers. However, they immediately commenced the construction of their fourth nest on the branch of an alpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) nearby. On June 28, success rewarded the birds' persistence, with the laying of the first egg. (N.N.D.)

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