Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). Small capital text has been replaced with all capitals. Variations in spelling, punctuation and hyphenation have been retained except in obvious cases of typographical error. [Illustration: "The feast is finished and the games are on."] A WATCHER IN THE WOODS BY DALLAS LORE SHARP Author of "Wild Life Near Home" WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY BRUCE HORSFALL [Illustration: logo] NEW YORK THE CENTURY CO. Copyright, 1901, by THE CENTURY CO. _Published November, 1903_ 3101 PRINTED IN U. S. A. TO THE TWO LITTLE WATCHERS AT HOME PUBLISHER'S NOTE Leading superintendents of schools and teachers have been pointing out that in "Wild Life Near Home," by Dallas Lore Sharp, there is much valuable supplementary reading for schools, and no less an authority than Mr. John Burroughs, in his recent article in the "Atlantic Monthly" entitled "Real and Sham Natural History," made the statement that "of all the nature books of recent years, I look upon Mr. Sharp's as the best." The present volume will be found to contain carefully selected chapters from "Wild Life," arranged with special reference to nature study in the schools, where it is hoped that it will become popular with both teachers and pupils. October 15, 1903 CONTENTS PAGE BIRDS' WINTER BEDS 1 SOME SNUG WINTER BEDS 17 "MUS'RATTIN'" 35 FEATHERED NEIGHBORS 51 FROM RIVER-OOZE TO TREE-TOP 109 RABBIT ROADS 135 SECOND CROPS 161 IN THE OCTOBER MOON 191 ILLUSTRAIONS PAGE The feast is finished and the games are on Frontispiece The cheerful little goldfinches, that bend the dried ragweeds 7 There she stood in the snow with head high, listening anxiously And--dreamed 16 I shivered as the icy flakes fell thicker and faster 22 The meadow-mouse 25 It was Whitefoot 30 From his leafless height he looks down into the Hollow 33 Uncle Jethro limbered his stiffened knees and went chuckling down the bank 36 The big moon was rising over the meadows 39 Section of muskrat’s house 40 The snow has drifted over their house till only a tiny mound appears 43 They rubbed noses 45 Two little brown creatures washing calamus. 46