Friends in Feathers and Fur, and Other Neighbors: For Young Folks Part 16

10. The porcupine builds its nest in hollow trees. In the winter it sleeps most of the time, only coming out once in a while to get something to eat.

LESSON XLIV.

_ABOUT THE WOODCHUCK._

[Ill.u.s.tration]

1. The woodchuck is about twice the size of the common rabbit. Its body is thick, and it has short legs, armed with long, naked nails.

2. It has small, round ears, and a short, bushy tail. It has a thick coat of coa.r.s.e fur, long whiskers, like a cat, and chisel-teeth for gnawing. It lives upon fruit and the leaves of plants, and is very fond of red clover.

3. When walking, its hind legs do not stand up like those of a cat or dog; but the leg up to the first joint comes down flat upon the ground.

4. With its strong claws it digs a hole in the ground for a home. It chooses a soft place in a bank, where, at first, it can dig up, so that it will not be disturbed by water. Its home has several entrances, so that, if pursued, it can escape by running in or out. In one of its driest rooms it makes its nest of dried gra.s.s; and here it stays in stormy weather, only coming out on pleasant days.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

5. Woodchucks are very timid, and, when they come out to feed, one sits up and keeps watch. Should it spy any danger, it gives a kind of whistle, and away they all scud to their holes.

6. When winter comes, the woodchuck rolls himself up in his nest and goes to sleep until spring. He is very fat when he takes to his bed in the fall, but is lean when he comes out ready for his next summer's work.

7. The prairie-dog, found upon the plains in the West, is very much like a small woodchuck. In a prairie-dog town there are hundreds of holes close together. When we go to look at them, we see a little head at every door-way, which dives out of sight as we come near. Owls and rattle-snakes live in the same holes with the prairie-dogs.

LESSON XLV.

_MRS. BRINDLE'S COWSLIP FEAST._

A cow lived in a pleasant field, Where cowslips bloomed in spring.

Said she, "I think a cowslip feast Would be a pleasant thing."

So Mrs. Brindle sent a calf Around the farm, to say That she should give a cowslip feast At four o'clock that day.

At four o'clock she sat in state Beside the flowing brook; The cowslips, with their golden heads, Did most inviting look.

The brindle calf in ap.r.o.n stood To ope the five-barred gate; And then his mother said that he Upon the guests must wait.

The company at length drew near: First Mrs. Blossom came, And Mrs. Dun, and Mr. Bull, Who seemed to-day quite tame.

Red, spotted, white, a goodly band Of cows and calves came nigh; And Mr. Donkey said that he Would cowslips like to try.

And Mrs. Mare came with her foal, And Mr. Horse came too, And several sheep with frisky lambs, In woolen dresses new.

Then Mrs. Brindle bade her guests The cowslips sweet to eat; And if they wished to drink, she said, The brook was clear and sweet.

They ate and drank, and chatted too; And, when they went away, Said, "Thank you for your cowslip feast, Dear brindle cow, to-day."

I thought the sparrow's note from heaven, Singing at dawn on the elder bough; I brought him home; in his nest, at even, He sings the song, but it pleases not now: For I did not bring home the river and sky-- He sang to my ear; they sang to my eye.

LESSON XLVI.

_THE FROG AND ITS HOME._

[Ill.u.s.tration]

1. Here is a strange-looking creature--the frog. At first sight we would say that it is entirely unlike all the animals we have studied; but let us look a little closer.

2. We see that, like all the others, this little friend of ours has a body with a head, four limbs, two eyes, two ears, a nose, and a mouth.

3. But how curious it is in form! Its body is short and round; its head is set on to its body without any neck; and its limbs are placed on its sides, so that it can not stand, but only squat.

4. It has large staring eyes, that can look about on all sides; and when it opens its mouth its whole head seems to split apart.

5. It has webbed feet, and can swim well in the water. It has no teeth, but lives upon grubs and flies and other insects.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Frog's Head, showing Tongue]

6. When a fly comes within reach, the frog does not jump at it, but just darts out its long tongue, covered with slime, so quickly that the fly is caught before it has time to stir.

7. It lives both upon land and in the water. When in the water, it can open and shut its webbed feet like a fan, and so can swim rapidly.

8. When upon the land, it can not walk or run, but it gets along by hops. It sits on its hind feet, and suddenly straightens out its hind legs, and away it goes in a great leap.

9. When the cold weather comes, the frog crawls into some hole, or under the bank near the water, and goes to sleep for the winter.

10. The cold does not kill him, and, when the warm spring days come, he wakes up and comes out ready for the work which he is to do.

LESSON XLVII.

_FROM TADPOLE TO FROG._

[Ill.u.s.tration]