TRI-TOWN MARKER FOR GERMAN, MCDONOUGH, AND SMITHVILLE

Donald A. Windsor

The historical Tri-Town Marker for the borders of German, McDonough, and Smithville was still in place on Sunday 7 April 2013.

It is a sandstone rock at least a foot wide, a half-foot thick and 2 feet deep, perhaps deeper.  It is hard to find, so I like to visit it every few years, just so I can remember where it is.

An article about this marker appears in my book, cited below.

Reference cited:

Windsor, D. A.  The most significant corner in Chenango County.  In:  Souvenirs of Yesteryear. Norwich, NY: self-published.  2008. 1:28-29.

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STARNOSE MOLE IN MCDONOUGH

Donald A. Windsor

A dead Starnose Mole was lying in the intersection of Steere and Sherman-Bliven roads in the Town of McDonough on Sunday 24 March 2013, around noon.

My wallet, which is 4 1/2 inches long, appears below the mole.  According to Burt and Grossenheider, the Starnose Mole head + body are 4 1/2 to 5 inches and the tail is 3 to 3 1/2 inches.

I was surprised to find this critter out above all the snow, which was at least 9 inches deep.  It did not appear to have been hit by a vehicle.  Perhaps it was caught by a predator and then discarded. 

Reference cited:

Burt, W.H. ; Grossenheider, R.P.  Starnose Mole Condylura cristata.  In: A Field Guide to the Mammals.  Boston, MA: Houghton Mifflin. 2nd Ed. 1964. Pages 16-17, 20.

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