SQUIRRELS ROUTE RANGER

Ranger Browne is wondering what crime he has committed against the squirrels. At any rate he would like to know why certain individual squirrels have a grudge against him.

Ranger Browne has been on night fire patrol duty during the past week and so has been keeping close to his tent during most of the day. Recently he was rudely awakened from his day's sleep by a heavy missel hurled with considerable force against his tent. He wondered, but did not investigate at once--he was too sleepy. After a few more objects had landed upon or close by his shelter, however, he decided that nobody had any business heaving stones at a tent-house even if it did have a Ranger in it, so he went out to see. "Whang" a heavy object whizzed by him from above and another followed else upon it.

Investigation showed that squirrels were at work in the tops of the trees cutting off cones for food. The green four-inch cone of the white fir after falling some two-hundred feet is something well worth dodging.

By F. W. Schmoe, Park Naturalist.

EVERY DAY IS BATH DAY

Recently Ranger Browne was returning from Indian Henry's by way of the old Indian Trail down Kautz Creek. Just below Mount Ararat is a small pond. A large snow drift extended half way across the water ending in a rounded point, and on this point a large black bear wallowed in the snow. After rolling over a time or two and scratching his back much as a big dog would the bear rolled into the water with a splash. Another larger bear had appeared on the snow and the only exit was via the water route. While the first bear was disappearing over the skyline the second prepared for a swim.

A moment later another bear entered the water from the other side and as the Ranger passed on down the trail he met a fourth bear approaching. Apparently this particular pond is a favorite watering place for the bears of the region.

By F. W. Schmoe, Park Naturalist.