SOMETHING ABOUT THE WILD ANIMALS.
Animals are not at all like plants. The plant spends its whole life in the spot where it sprouted from the seed. Its roots hold it firmly in one place. The soil may be poor and the leaves of the plant may get little sunshine, but it cannot help itself.
Animals go from one place to another for their food. They live where they can find plenty to eat and are well protected from their enemies.
Plants take their food in through their roots. They breathe by means of their leaves. Animals have a mouth for eating. They breathe with lungs.
Some of the animals get their food from plants.
Such animals have flat teeth for grinding this food. Many animals live upon those animals which they can catch and kill. They have sharp teeth for tear ing flesh.
If you study the animals you will find that each one is fitted for the place in which you find it. There is a struggle among animals for food just as there is among plants. The weaker animals choose their homes where they can be safest from the attacks of the stronger ones. Because of these things many animals have come to live in the ground, and others in the trees.
The little mole, who spends all of his time in the ground, has a nose for digging in the dirt. It is dark there and he has no use for his eyes. Now he is almost blind, but his grandfathers a long time ago lived upon the top of the ground and had as good eyes as any animal.
The coyote lives in the open plain or hilly country. He has use for sharp eyes and ears and long, slender legs. He has a sneaking look and such a funny bark at night and morning. His safety is in being able to run fast. He is fond of rabbits and chickens. The coyote is very cunning, and if you are looking for him you will seldom see hiM.
The rabbit is a timid little animal. His home is in the bushes. He has to look out for the animals who would eat him if they could. His long ears are very useful, and he can run, too, when he tries.
There are many kinds of squirrels. Some eat nuts and make their homes in the trees. There they are safe except from the thoughtless boy with his gun. How gracefully they run up and down the trees and jump from branch to branch.
The ground squirrel does not care for trees. His food is in the grainfields, and to get a safe home he burrows in the ground. Like the gophers and prairie-dogs, a number of ground squirrels form a colony and live in a little village together.
In places their holes are so thick that it is dangerous to ride over the ground on horseback.
How straight they sit up in front of their holes ! When alarmed they drop out of sight with a quick whistle.
Have you ever seen a wildcat? This animal is much larger than the house cat. It has a yellow ish color and short tail. Perhaps you have seen little kittens spit and scratch. Before they have been handled much they act as the wild kittens do. The wildcat cannot run like the coyote, but it will fight more for its protection. It is fond of rabbits and chickens too.
There are many animals that have been hunted so much they are seldom seen. Among these is the bear. We find it now only in the wildest places where few people go.
In the fall we may see them around the berry patches. The bears love blackberries and huckle berries as well as manzanita berries and hazel nuts. The bear sleeps through the winter. In the spring he comes out of his den very thin and hungry.
How beautiful and graceful the deer are! They have good noses and slender legs. By these means they protect themselves from the most of the other animals except man.
Do you not think it is wrong to kill the deer for sport? They enjoy life as well as we do. They will soon be gone if we do not stop hunting them.