NatureStoriesforYoungReaders 10270709

SC HO O L O F E D U C AT I O N
L I B R A RY
S T A N FO R D U N I V E R S I TY
I
L BRARIES
NATURE STO RIES FO R
YO UNG READERS
A NI MA L L I FE
FL O R E N C E BA S S
I w o u ld t
n o t e n er o n my li s t of fr i en ds ,
Th houg i h li h
grac e d w t po s e d m ann e rs a nd fin e se nse,
l i i ili y
Ye t ac k ng s e n s b t , t h e m an
Wh o l ly
n e e d e ss se t s foo t u po n a wor m .
— CO W PE R .
B O S T O N, U S A . . .
D . c . H E AT H co .
,
P U B L S H E RS I
1 89 5
62 1 5 0 3
Co r v mc m '
,
1 894 ,
BY FLO R ENC E B A SS .
Cf
T v roc m m v av ! . S . C us u m c Co .
, BO S T O N ,
Ma s s , U S A. .
P a ns s w o a x av C . H . H s m r za MANN, Bo sr ou ,
'
MAS S .
, U S A
. . .
P R E FAC E .
TH E s ubjec ts of th i s s e ri e s of lesson s a re m a in ly
s c h in se ct s o r oth e r ani m als a s t he ch i l dre n m ay
u
ob se rv e fo r th e m s el v e s .
T he l e sso n s a im t o giv e i ll u s t r at i o n s o f so m e o f th e
v a rie d m e an s of s e l f pro te ctio n e m pl oy e d by a ni m als !
-
th e ir m e th o d s o f ho m e b il ding and o f ca ring fo r

-
u
the i yo ng ! the t ra n s f o r m a t i o n s the y nd e rgo ! th e

r u u
ad p t abil ity t o the ir s ro nding s as sh o w n by th eir

a ur u
co v e r i ng s and the tools w i t h w h ic h the v a ri o s

”
u
a ni m als a re pro vid e d .
T he p p os e in a t te m p t ing t o bring th ese th o ght s

ur u
t o th e yo nge st read e r s i s m ani fol d

u .
I t i s h o p e d th a t s c h r e a d e r s m y b eco m e in te re s t e d
u a ,
w hile ch il dre n in the ab nd n t l i fe ab o t the m and

, u a u ,
that w he n t hi s in t e re s t i s gr a ti fie d by lea r ing o f t h n e
w o nd e rf l l iv es a nd h abi t s o f t h es e l i t tle p eo ple ”

“
u ,
a e s p ec t fo r all l i fe m y b e in c l cate d
r a u .
I t i s d e s ir bl e th a t c h il dr e n
a c q ire s ch fee l ing
a u u
fo r l iv es w ea k e r th an the ir w th t they may n e v e r

o n a
gi e nn ec e ssary pain to any c re a t ure and n ev e r t a ke

v u
in
lv P REFACE .
a l i fe e x ce p t sel f d e fe n se o r fo r som e o t he r ve ry
in -
goo d reaso A ch ild th s t ra i e d to feel fo r the

n . u n
low e r fo rm s o f l ife ca nn o t fai l t o b e m o re c o n sid e rate

of hi s w kind o n .
By in t e r es t i g ch il dren i n th e wo d e rful w ays o f n n
in sec ts it i s h op e d th at th e t i m id fea rf l c h i l dre n

, , u ,
wh o cream i f a bug h appe n s t o c o m e e a r the m

s
“ ”
n ,
m y b eco m e less f e a r f u l a nd fi d p le a s ur e w h e r e
a n
th ey o n c e fou d only p ain L t th e m le arn that in

n . e
m ost cases th ese in sects w ill d o th e m h a rm i f no ,
u n m oles te d L t th e c h il dre n see that it i s poss ibl e

. e
for to lear m c h abo t in se ct s o r a i m als w i th

us n u u
“
o u t h rting o r e ve to c h ing the m

u , n u .
T h e p rp ose i s t o di s c o rag e th e s t udy o f a n y ani

u u
m al at the cos t of it s l i fe o r of giving it p ain I f ,

.
the a nim al ca o t b e k e p t in th e sch ool roo m w i t h

nn -
a h o m e and c omfo rts reason ably l ik e i ts own i t sh o l d , u
no t b e k e p t at all T h e c h i l dr e n m ay b e le d t o sea r c h
.
and ob se rve it in it s n at r al e nvi o n m e n t Th at i s u r .
the place t o s tud y l ife .
Lea v e th e c ollect ing a nd pull i g t o pieces a nd n a m n
ing of pa rts to ol d er a nd m o re sc i en ti fic p e opl e if ,
s ch w o rk m s t b e d o n e D
u u t as k i t o f th e . o no
t e nd e r he ar te d l i ttle c h il dre n a nd d o t coun te n a n ce

-
, no
i t i t h ! ch il dren mo re c r el by ature All kn ow l

n
’
u n .
e dge th at ch il dre n gain by t ak ing l ife o r giving p ai n

P REFACE .
t o b e i n gs wea k e r than the m sel ves see m s t o m e t o b e

,
gain e d at th e e xp e n se of th eir m or al n ature and i s ,
t h e re fo r e be t t e r d o n e w i th o u t
.
Fin ally i t i s s urely i m p oss ible t o b e c o m e ac q u a i n t e d

, ,
e v e n i n a sl ight de gree w ith thes e e x press i o n s o f t he

,
wo n drou s tho ught s o f G od w i tho ut be in g dra w n

,
n e a re r t o the ir Ma k e r and ours .
F B . .
I ND I A NAP O LI S , I ND .
TO TH E CH I L D RE N .
DE AR LI TTL E FRI E ND S
S o m e t i m e ago I w ro te you so m e l ittle sto ies ab o t r u
plants .
I t ri e d t o s h ow y h w all p l a n t m o the r s ha v e
ou o
the sam e th ing t o d o th ey m a k e se e d: s .
T hese a re really l i ttle c ra dl e s in w h i c h b aby pla n t s

a re w rapp e d up .
Foo d i s l e ft i th e s e e d f o r th e m t o eat w h e n t h ey
n
begin t o grow .
I t ri e d also t o l t yo u see so m e i the ways th e

°
e o
plan t ha s to kee p he r see d b abies fro m har m t ill

th ey a re grow n .
So m e t i m es i t i s d o n e w i th th o rn s o r brie r s o r h a rd
shells o r bitte r fr i t u .
W saw too th at m a n y o f th e m h a v e w ays o f

e , ,
se n ding the ir l ittle o n e s t in to the w o rl d

ou .
N w I w i s h t o t ell yo u a f w th ing s a b o t ani m als

o e u .
Y ou w i ll s e e th a t a n a ni m al m o the r m s t also u
pro vid e fo r he r l ittl e on es .

T O TH E C H ILDREN . V ii
S m o e tim es she has n o mo re t o d o than the p lan t

m o the r .
Sh lea v es h e r e gg s w h e r e th e l i t t le o es w i ll fi d
e n n
food w he n th ey b egin to gro w .
B t y
u m ay b e u e s he w i l l d o th at m c h
ou s r u .
So m e t i m es s h e t a k e s ca r e o f t h e m t i l l the y a r e
gro w n .
So m e t i m e s sh e e v e n giv e s he r l i fe fo r t h e m .
In th ese l ittl e s to ri es w w i ll re ad o f so m e of th e e
m a n y w ays anim al m o th e r s d th e se t h ing s o .
A y
s ta k e yo r w a l k s in t o the co n try l oo k
ou u . u ,
ab o t y to s e e h w m an y l i ttl e sto rie s you m ay

u ou o
s e e ac t e d t fo r yo r e l f
ou ,
u s .
Pl an t s t o l d m a n y t h ing s b y w h at they did

us .
N w be
o se a nim als can a c t so m c h m o re th ey
ca u u ,
ca n te l l m o re
us .
P e r h a p s t h ey r e ally d o h a v e a w y o f t al king t o a
o n e a n o the They o fte n ac t as if th ey di d

r . .
A yo u wa t c h th es e l it t le in ec t s y
s m y se e s ou a
the m t reat o n e a o the r in a way tha t s ee m s v e ry

n
c r el to y
u ou .
S pp o e y
u s w a t c h t o s ee w h y the y d o th e e th ing s
ou s .
See if y fi d on e a i m a l ta kin g the l ife o f

ou n n
an o the r e c e p t f foo d
x t o d e fe nd i t s e l f
or i ts
. or or
h o m e f ro m h a r m .
W d o t h a t o r s e l v e s I h o pe w d o t d o m o e
e u . e no r .
TO TH E C HILDREN .
Wh e n we le a rn so m an y wo nd e rf ul th ings o f the se
l i ttle peo ple ab o u t u s they see m al m ost l ike fa iries
, ,
d o th ey n o t
Re m e m b e r that yo u a r e a gi a n t in th i s fa iry l a n d- .
I h o p e yo u w i l l t ry t o b e a g e n t l e gi a n t .
DO n ot h a r m th e m if yo u c a n he l p i t
,
.
Enj oy the m b y loo king a t th e m j u s t as y ou d o

,
the bright s u n sh in e the b l u e h ills and the g ol d e n

, ,
su n set and e ve ry ot h e r b e au t i ful th in g i n th i s gr e at

w o rl d o f o rs
u .
Y o r f iend
u r ,
FL O RE N C E B AS S .
CONTENTS .
P AG E
A L TT E
I L M TH E O R
T HE L TT I LE CH D E IL R N
WA P CS o .
A D E WA PI GG R S
ST Y A S P DE
OR OF I R
I
N A F WE LO R
UP INA B AL L O O N
A M TH E S P D E
O R I R
A B D E BU D E
RI G IL R
DW
O NTH E WA T E
IN R
DW
O NTH E G U D
IN RO N
EVE CH U
N I NG OR S
ARE TH EY FA E I RI S
H EY B EE
ON S
ST Y A L U T HA VE T
OR OF OC S , OR R S
A B A E T MA E
SK K R
A L TT E BU D E
I L IL R
AM UT OS ! I O
AH UEF O S LY
S ME F E D
O RI OU N S OF RS
A L E AF C U TT E B EE- R
CON T EN T S .
P AG E
A B TT F Y
U ER L
A QUE H U E ER O S
M A U T TH E R U D H U E
OR E BO O N O S
A G A H PPE
R SS O R
A P
S LE E T EE ON TH E R S
A EEP
SL G U D IN TH E RO N
AN O WL
B E AV E RSU AN D ! I R RE L
THE DU CK H AN D TH E EN
WH H IC TH E B E T C A T ?
H AS S O
A C U TT E F H L IS
S M L TT E D MA
O E I L R ES S K ER S
AW A KE
AC O CO O N
T HEM TH O
AK D
I NGBI R
T HER S OB I N S
’
ONG
A A T
N ST Y
N
’
S OR
T H E B T ! U MPE ES R
A MA Y F LY .
S ME L TT E H E PE
O I L L RS
TU M BU B LE GS
A L TT E C A PE TE
I L R N R
A QU E F W E R E L LO
A L AD Y B T A UG S
’
LK
A L TT E A T
I L C OR
A L TT E G YM A T
I L N S
A L V L HT
I I NG IG
A L TT E M E
I L ES S NG E R
A L TT E GA DE
I L R NE R
CON T EN T S . x i
P AG E
A H U MM B D I NG I R
A H A W M TH K O
ASA N IL
ADA R G ON
A C A E F U L TT E M TH
R L I L O ER
THE M T W DE FU
OS ON R L OF AL L
2 NAT U RE S T OR I ES .
S ee h ow the s e little m others t ake

c are of t heir litt l e o nes .
'
Here i s a picture of a little m o t her .
S he i s Mr s Mud Wasp
. S he i s .
W orking very hard .
S he s ee m s never t o st o p for a m in ute .
What can s he be doing ?

‘
! u st n ow s he i s building her h o u s e .
S ee her co m e wit h a li ttle b all of

m ud .
Wat c h her s pread out this m u d

with her j aws .
S he begin s at t he m iddle an d s pre ads

it do w n o ne s ide .
No w s ee her dar t aw ay S he has .
gone for m o re so ft m u d .
S oon she co m e s back wit h another

piece .
S he begin s at t he t o p and spre a d s

it ou t o n t he o ther side .
A LITTLE M O TH ER . 3
What a noise s he m akes a s s he

works !
S oon s he w ill h a ve one roo m do n e .
Then sh e g o e s in an d le a ves a little

egg .
N ow she m ust find s o m ething for

her baby t o e at w hen it creeps out
,
of th at egg .
What d o y o u s uppo s e s he gets

Why ! L i ttle s piders !
I h av e seen a s m any a s eight
s piders put in for o ne baby w asp to
eat.
Perh aps it likes t he m a s w ell a s

you and I like fried chicke n w hich ,
o ur m others ge t for us .
M o ther Wa s p w alls up t he s e s pider s

in a r o o m w it h her egg .
Perhap s s he m akes m any m ore

roo m s like this .
NAT U RE S T ORI ES .
Th e n she fl i e s aw ay an d n e v e r c om e s
back .
S he n e ver se e s her own little o n e s .
Perhaps sh e kno w s th at sh e h a s
t aken all the care of t he m th at th e y
n eed .
TH E L I TT L E CH I L D RE N .
VV O l l l d
you like t o kno w w h at goe s
on inside t his m u d hous e I will
tell you ab o ut it .
A t iny w hi t e gr ub creeps ou t of
each of th o se eggs It lo o ks like a .
li tt le wor m .
“
What ! y o u say , a worm out
”
of a w a s p s egg !
’ ”
Ye s th at i s j ust what a baby wasp

,
lo o k s like .
I t eat s the spid e rs Mrs W a sp left .

TH E LITTL E C HIL D REN . 5
It grows bigger very fa st .
I fear it do e s n ot know how h ard

its m other work e d to g e t all th at food
for it a n d m ake its hous e .
Aft e r a whil e it go e s to s le e p in a
little c a s e
.
It se e m s t o b e de a d , but i t is not .
It is only growin g to b e a w a sp like

its m other .
By a nd by it w ak e s up , a full
gr own w a sp .
It n e v e r grows a ny m or e .
It bit es a hole through its m u d

house and fli e s aw ay .
Do you t hink it knows y e t how

m uch i t s m o t her did for it 9
W e canno t tell t hat .
It surely knows h ow t o d o t he
s am e things for it s own little o n es .
WAS P CO .
O LDES T P A PE R M AKE RS I N T HE W OR LD .
S e e thi s p ap e r
hous e .
I t belo n gs t o
Mr s VV aSp She
. . ,
is a cou s in of
Mrs Mu d Wa s p
. .
S he m ake s a m uch finer h o use than

her cousin .
Her house is all m a de of paper .
Where d o y o u supp os e s he go t the

paper ? C an y o u gues s ?
Why ! Sh e m ade it her
s elf every bi t of i t .
Her fo lk s kne w h ow t o
m ake paper l o ng be fo re m e n did .
S he pick s litt le piec es off of o ld

WASP CO
.
fe n ce r ails Sh e bites t h e m up fin e
‘
a nd m akes the m in t o paper .
But I m u s t tell y o u th e s t ory of

Mrs Wasp and her hous e
. .
Th e n you w ill see w h at a w ise

little being she is .
S he did n o t h ave this pretty house

to live in last Winter .
S he slep t in a little crack in the

barn .
It was ve ry h ard to keep fi om '
fr e ezing .
S he did not n eed to co m e out to

ge t any t hing t o eat .
8 N AT U RE S T OR I ES .
II .
Wh en t h e warm spring d ays cam e ,

sh e w aked up and crept out .
S he was all alon e in th e world .
S he s tarted out bra vely t o m ak e

a ho m e of her o wn Sh e soon found .
a go o d place .
S he began several r oo m s at o nc e .
S he m akes her hous e in a queer

w ay .
S he b e gins at t h e top a nd w orks

do wn .
Then her r o o m s are open at t he

b ot t o m .
They see m w r o n g side up t o u s .
When the s e little ro o m s w ere r e ady ,
s h e pu t an egg into each one .
But she did n ot pu t i n h

a yt ing
n f or
h er bab y t o ea t ,
a s M r s M u d W a sp
.
does .
IO NAT U RE S T OR I ES .
Th e y ar e a sl ee p S h e is n ot u n ea sy
.
a bou t th e m.
Do you suppose she knows w h at i s

going on inside of those roo m s
E ach lit t le wor m is tu r ning int o a
wa s p like its m other .
Ha s she n ot be e n a good little

m other to t he m
S ee w h at pretty roo m s she m a de .
H o w care fully she fe d the m !

S he is not afr ai d to fight for th e m ,
to o You w ill find this out if you
.
bother h e r at her w ork .
I do n ot bl a m e h er for fighting for

her ho m e a nd children , d o you
A t l a s t the white doors open .
O u t c o m e the c hil dren , full grown -
w orker wa sps .
N ow wh at do you s uppose t he s e
children d o
WASP CO . 11
! ust w h at all g o od childr e n should

do .
They go t o work to h e lp their

m o t he r .
They help build m or e roo m s .
They cle a n up their ol d room s for

little new w asps They help fe e d all
.
'
the litt le ones .
N o w Mrs W a s p h a s not so m uch

.
work t o do .
A re you not glad she h a s su c h good

childr e n to help h e r
They see m to m e to be a pretty
goo d and wise fa m ily Do y ou not
.
t hink s o
12 NAT U RE ST OR I ES .
A D I GGER W A S P .
Wh o i s this Wh at is sh e doing
her ging i n th e dirt
wit h her front
fee t , like a dog .
S he is m ak
i n g a h o le in
t h e ground .
Can she b e
I t ing for so m e
thing to eat ? us w a t c h a n d s ee
what she d o e s .
No w her h ole h a s gr o wn q uite de e p .
S he m u st g o d ow n and brin g up
e a ch piece of di r t , just a s an a nt
do e s
N ow s he s ee m s to h a ve finished her
wo rk She t ake s a li ttle piec e of dirt
.
and s t o p s up the h o le .
A DI G GER W ASP . 13
Off she flies , and w e w a it for her

r e turn .
Wh at is sh e ab out now I w ill

tell you .
Sh e h a s gon e to get dinn e r re a dy .
“
Did y ou s ay Dinner ? for w hom
, ,
a nd of w h at kind
Why ! din n e r for h e r little o n e , of
course .
It is going to live in that roo m sh e

has m ad e .
S he m eans to bring b a ck a b ig fat

caterpill ar for its din ner I suppose
s he know s what is best for it .
Th at is all the c are she h a s t o take

of it.
The fo od she bring s w i ll la s t u n til

it t urns into a wa s p like it s m ot her
“
Then it can take care of it s el f .
Mr s Wa s p you are no t as good a

.
,
ho u se builder a s your c ousi n Mud

W a sp .
S he really builds h e r house You .
only dig into t he gr o und .
But perh ap s you do t h e best y o u

know .
But Mrs Wa s p is gon e a long ti m e

. .
Perhap s sh e i s havi n g so m e t r o uble

to find h er fre s h m eat .
I think we w ill n ot w ait for her

r e turn .
S T OR Y O F A S P I D ER .
O ne day Mrs S pi der s at in t h e

. mid
dl e of
her w eb .
S he had on a gold and black dress .
S he h a d a silver gray b o nne t -

.
S he we ar s four pair s of sto cki n g s ,
you k n ow .
S T OR Y OF A S P I DER .
They are all

an ge and black .
S he w as al
m ost a s pret t y
as t he flo w ers
.
What a
beau tiful web
sh e had , too !
It wa s m a d e
of t he finest silk .
It wa s all Mr s S pider s
.
’
w o rk You m u st k no w
.
t he very finest of spinne r s .
S he m ade a lit tle white windi n g

stair up one side of h er web .
Then e v erythi n g was all ready ! so

sh e s a t down t o wai t for a caller .
16 A RE S T ORI ES
N TU .
Pr etty soon a m an c am e alo ng .
But Mrs S pider did n ot wish to

.
s ee h i m.
So s he sh o ok her w eb a s h ard a s
s he could .
Perh aps she th o ught th at would

keep hi m fr o m s eein g her .
S he feared the m an wo uld kill her .
I am afraid he would too ! though ,
I c a nn ot see why he s h o uld .
He doe s n ot s ee m to kn o w th at she
i s o ne of hi s be s t frie n d s .
Bu t so s he i s ! s he is a b enefit t o
h i m every day .
S he eats in se cts th at are h ar m ful t o

h i m or his garden .
Bu t s he hersel f does hi m n o h ar m .
Pretty s o o n t he m an w ent away .
T h en Mr s S pider s at qui t e s till agai n

. .
pl a in t h at she h a s ru n off fro m M r s .
Mud W a sp .
It is w ell th at she did .
I f she h a d n ot Mr s Mud W a sp ,
.
w ould h ave run off with her .
But w h at h a s beco m e of Mrs S pi .
der ?
S he s aw Mr s Mud Wa s p c o m ing
. .
S he knew too why she was c o m ing

, ,
.
! ui c k a s a fl a sh sh e dropp e d fro m
her web .
S h e spun a line to run b ack upon .
Now sh e is lying quite still upon

the gro und .
P e rhaps she is l a ughing to her

self I b eat y ou this ti m e Mr s Mud ,
.
W as p .
I f Mrs W a sp should s ee her lyi n g

.
o n the ground s he wo uld not care to

,
touch her .
S T OR Y OF A SPI DER .
“
Mrs S pid e r is playing d ea d dow n
.
”
th e re .
S he is all c urled up in a li ttle

bun ch .
S h e k n ows how to k ee p h e rs e l f
s afe
.
Mrs Mud I V asp d o es n ot care for a

.
d ea d spid e r S o off sh e go e s
.
'
Now Mrs S pider c o m e s to life v e ry

.
qui c kly .
S he cli m b s up h e r silk e n rop e to

h er web .
Agai n sh e sits still , w aiti ng for th e

righ t calle r .
F or whom ca n she b e w aiting so

lon g
S he hopes som e ins ect will c o m e
flying alo ng .
he does n o t s ee h e r w e b , h e m ay
If
be caugh t in it .
That i s t h e o n ly w ay sh e h a s to g et
the m e at for her dinner .
You see the caller she wa nt s is th e

o ne w h o brin gs her so m e t hing
dinner He m ay be h e re soon
. .
I think I w i ll g o o n Mr s S pider
,
. .
I d o no t care t o s ee y ou ge t y our
dinn e r r ea dy .
IN A F L O W ER .
Here i s an other little spider .
S he do es not build a w e b to cat c h

her dinner .
D o you se e w hat sh e do e s instead ?

Sh e hides in a fl o wer .
Y o u c a n s carcely s ee h e r un l e ss y ou,
lo o k very closely .
IN A FL O WER . 21
S he is very nearly the

c olor of the flo w er she sits
upo n .
c olors
whi c h flow e r m at c hes her

dress
S h e s e e m s t o kn o w sh e
n ever go e s to on e of the wr o ng c o l o r .
Why is she so a nxious t o m atch the

fl o wer
S he h as t w o reas o n s : F irst , that she
m ay n ot be s een by her ene m ie s .
The y m ay pounce upon her and

ca rry her off .
Then sh e d o e s n o t wi s h to be s een
by t he l i ttle i n sects t h at c o m e t o t he
flower t o feed Then sh e can j u m p
.
up and cat ch t he m for her di n n e r .

Th at is the w ay she h a s to m ake

h e r living .
A h ! little fairy w h o g a v e y o u th at
,
pr e tty dress
Who taught you w h e r e to hid e a n d
how to g e t y our livi n g
U P I N A B A LL O O N .
Wh o m ade t he balloon
Wh o is g oing up in it ?
The sam e an s wer will do for b oth
que s ti o n s
.
Fo r it w as no o t h e r th an Mr s S pi .
der her s elf .
S he wi s hed to take a j ourney Sh e'
h a d n o w ings t o fly with .
S h e c ould n o t g o on the cars a s

.
w e do .
UP IN A B A LL OON . 23
S he cli m bed to the top

of that plant .
S he stiffened out her

legs and h eld up her body .
S he s pun a nu m ber of
li gh t s i lk e n
t h rea ds
.
They
f°f
light th ey E
l f-St er n?
fl o at e d u p w a r d .
S o o n s h e h a d s pun
s o m a ny s h e fe lt t hey
,
w o u ld h e a r h e r up .
S o s h e g a v a litt l e
leap an d aw ay sh e
,
s ailed thr o u gh t he air .

24 NAT U R E S T OR I ES .
Her silk thr eads carr ied h er , j us t as

th e silk thr ea ds carry th e m ilkw ee d
s e ed s
.
But sh e m akes her ow n b alloon .
S he can ride a l o ng dist an c e .
I f s h e wishe s to c o m e down , sh e
c an r o ll up h e r threads Th e n
.
own weight w ill t ake he r down .
Is sh e n ot like a fairy to do su c h
w on derful things
A M O T H ER S P I D ER .
Here i s a lit tle m ot her s p i der S ee .
the big ball s he carrie s w ith h er !

26 NAT U RE S TORI ES .
A B RI D GE B U I L D ER .
L ittle Mrs S pi der s at up o n a bush

.
by the s ide of a br oo k .
N o w , h ow sh all I cross s h e said
to hersel f .
“
Then s he thought Why , ther e m us t
,
be a bridge of cour s e
,
.
“
There s ee m s t o be none here I .
m u st build o ne m y s el f .
A B R I D G E B U ILDER . 27
S o she at o n c e began to spin .
You know wh at a fine S pinner she i s .
Her loo m is al w ays w ith her and

re a dy .
S oon a soft silken li ne flo ated out

into the air .
Mrs S pi de r sat qui te still and

.
w aited .
S he knew w h at w o uld l ikely h appen .
The line flo at ed gently o ver t he

str eam an d lodg e d in a bush beyo n d .
Th at wa s j ust w h at Sh e w as w ait
i n g for .
If her first line h ad not gone the r e ,
she wo uld ha ve tried agai n .
Now s ee her r u n over her ligh t

line.
Sh e spins ano t her a s s he goes .
At the other s i de s he tightens th e

t h read .
B ack an d forth she goes , m aking

her bridg e stronger eac h ti m e .
A nd now h e r fairy bri dge is done .
Who could find a better way to get

t he firs t line across the brook
S pid e rs h ave built bridges this way
m any ye ars.
O n c e a m an wi s hed to build a
bridge .
He s ent a kit e over a river to get

t he first line acros s .
Do you suppose Mr s S pider m a de

.
h i m think of t h at way of d o ing it ?

D OW N I N TH E WATER . 29
D O WN I N THE W A T ER .
N ow we m ust he ar a s tory of
diver .
St range to s ay , this diver

has her h o m e in the
Who c an the diver b e

Why , an o ther spider .S he s ays
I will have the s a fest pl a ce of all
for m y b ab ies . I will build m y
hou s e down under t h e w ater ”
.
So s he re ally does m ake a

li ttle silken h ou se
d o wn there .
How c a n sh e
l ive dow n in t he
wat er
S he m u s t have
air t o br e ath e .
S he really bring s bubbles of air with

her and fill s up her little h o m e
,
.
There s he m ake s her c o coon and

lay s her egg s .
There s he rai s e s h er baby s piders .
I s s he n ot a queer bu i lder ?
D O WN I N TH E GRO UND .
L et u s hear about t he hou s e of an
o ther s pider .
S he ha s st ill a differe n t w ay of build

i n g h e r ho m e .
S he dig s a round hole down int o the

eart h .
But s he cann o t have o n ly bare m u d

wall s for her h o u s e .
N o t s he so sh e wo rk s h ard a s any ,
tidy hou s ekeeper s h o uld to m ake her ,
h ou s e l oo k w ell .
D OWN I N TH E GRO U ND . 31
S he w eave s the finest and m ost

beau ti ful s ilken curtai n s .
She cover s her w all s wi t h the m .
Then S h e m ak e s a do o r that j u st
fit s i n to t he to p of her h o u s e .
She fas t e n s i t on w it h a hi n ge .
S he m ake s i t a little larger at t he

t o p th a n at t h e b otto m .
32 NAT URE ST OR I ES .
Then it c an n ot fall in upon her .
S he covers the insi de of this door

with a si lken curtain too
,
.
But it would not do to le ave the

out side of it m u d c o lor .
That would s h ow e ve ryb ody w here

Sh e lives.
S he d o es not wi s h an y vi s it o r s
-
.
Poor little t hi n g ! She know s they

w o uld not tr eat her w ell .
The y m ight kill her and h e r babies .
SO s he cov e rs her door outside w i t h

s uch pla n t s a s s he sees ar o und her .
Thi s m other s pider ha s a pretty s afe

place for her lit t le o n e s
.
I t i s very h ard t o fi n d suc h a ne st .
I think she ha s ear n ed her safe ty .
Do you n o t think s o
34 N AT U RE S T ORI ES .
E V E N I N G CH OR U S !
Given by the S u m m er Night Gl e e
C lub Beginning A ugust firs t
. .
E very nig ht until frost .
Mr F rog Mr S creec h O w l a nd Mr
.
,
.
,
.
K a t y Did are the so loist s

-
.
Mr Black C ricket and t he not e d

.
Tree C ri cket will al s o be he ard .
Grand orc h e s tr a of o v er one thou

s and cri ck e ts !
The nu m bers on t his pr o gram are
s elected espe c ially to please t he ladie s .
Mr F i refly w ill furni s h calciu m

.
light s on these grand occa s i on s

M u sic begins pro m ptly at du s k and
c o ntinue s ti ll daw n .
Do n ot fail to hear t he m usic .
A d m i ss ion free to all w ho h av e ear s

to
AR E TH E Y FAI R I ES ? 35
ARE T H E Y F A I RI E S ?
O ne day I w alk e d out into t he

g arden .
I sa w so m e
w hite thing s fl y
ing about ov e r t he cab W
bage What could they be
.
Do you t h ink th e y were s n o w fl akes

N o i n deed ! for it w a s h o t su m m e r
,
.
Were they little flo w ers

36 NAT U RE S T ORI ES .
N o ! for the y fle w a bout , he r e and

t here .
They l o oked lik e littl e fairi e s all

dressed in white .
A h ! the y w ere b e autiful white b ut

t er fl i e s .
What could they h ave been doing

'
Do y ou think they liked cabbage

t o eat ?
N ot so ! they wer e too d ainty for
su ch fare .
They st o pped ju s t a m om e nt on a
leaf
Then off they darted to another .
I l o oked clo s e ly w he r e o ne of them

s t o pped I fo u nd a tiny green egg
. .
N ot l o ng aft er a little green w or m

,
crept out Of the egg .
It did n ot look at all like its pr e tty

w hi t e m ot her .
AR E TH E Y FAI R I ES ? 37
S uch a greedy lit tle thi ng as i t w as !

C abbage i s j u st w hat it w anted to eat .
Th at is why its m oth er le ft her egg

there .
How do you suppos e sh e k n ew that ?

T h at is h e r w ay of t aking care Of it .
Sh e put i t wher e it could get plen ty

to eat .
The littl e w or m ate s o m uch th at it

gr e w very fast .
By an d by it st o pped eating It .
s ee m ed to gro w s leepy
A li t t le green skin co v ered it all
over .
It did n o t m ove I could see neither

.
head nor legs .
It s t ayed t here a few day s Then i t .
broke its s hell and crept o u t .
I t was a beauti ful whit e butterfly

like it s m ot her .
38 NAT U R E ST OR I ES .
Does this n ot s o un d like a fairy

story
A nd ye t it is all t r u e .
You m ay s e e all t h es e thi ngs yo ur

s elf .
You c an not sc c the f airy t h at

change s t h e gr e e n wor m to a bu t
t e rfl y .
B ut y ou c a n se e t h at it is done .
H O N E Y B EE S .
S e e th i s litt le
b e e o n t h e big
s u nfl ow er “ ha t
T
i s sh e d o i n g ?
S he two b as k e ts wi t h her .
y o u kn o w Where t hey are

H ONE Y B EES . 39
S he ha s co m e to m arket Watch .
her a m o m ent .
You will se e
her filling her
b a sk e t s w i t h
flo w er dust .
See how
m uch flower
dust sh e al
rea dy ha s .
Wh at is sh e
going to do with thi s yell ow du s t
She w ill t ake it ho m e to m ake be e
bread for the baby bee s .
D o you kn ow w here her ho m e i s

I am s u re y o u hav e all s ee n the
o ut s i de of t he pre tty beehive w here
sh e live s
.
You h ave s een the busy w o r kers

g o ing in and o ut .
4O NA T U RE S T ORI ES .
You have s een the m going to the

flo w ers for honey .
Perh ap s you h ave seen the dro n es

craw ling abo ut doing n o t hing .
But poor fell ows ! they hav e a h ard

,
enough ti m e aft er all

,
.
The w orkers st ing t h e m t o death

w hen w inter c o m es .
You have seen the beauti ful ho n ey

com b .
You know h ow it i s all m ade of

lit tle cell s or r oo m s .
E ach ha s j u st s ix s ides .
Y o u have all ta st ed
the sw eet h o ney t he
b ees m ake Y o u k n o w
.
h ow g oo d it i s .
You d o n o t need to be told h ow

m uch t he b e e s d o for u s .
D o y o u n ot wo nder h ow they ca n
There m ust n ot be two que e ns in

o ne hive .
So the n e w quee n and the old o n e

fight till o ne kills t he other .
O r a part of the w o rkers go O ff with

on e queen and start a ne w h o m e of
their ow n .
Then w e say they s w ar m .
Bees are very hard w orki ng littl e-
people .
They work so hard to lay up hon e y

for t he m sel v e s .
But t hey m ake m u c h m ore th a n

t hey n eed .
So t h ere is plenty for us .

S T ORY OF A L OC U S T .
43
TH E S T O R Y O F A L O C U S T OR ,
H ARV E S T FLY .
I .
D o you s ee that
brown s hell
I u s ed t o live there .
I will tell you about

m y li fe.
B ut first you m ust k now

m y na m e .
My real na m e i s C ica da .
I f that i s t oo hard to s ay y o u ,
m ay call m e a Harvest F ly .
I d o n ot like
to be called a
L oc u st I w ill .
tell y o u w hy .
R e al loc u s ts
a r e a ki n d o f gr a ss h o pper .
44 NAT U RE S T OR IES .
S o m etim e s m any of the m com e to

gether .
They eat up e v e ry gr ee n thi ng t h ey

can find .
No w I do not do such b a d things

,
a s t hat .
I do n o t e a t up y our crops .
I s it up in t h e trees these hot d ays

and m ake m usic .
My m ate lik e s to h ear m e Do you .
A year ago Mother C icad a put a

great m any little eggs into a t wig .
In a few w eeks I crept out of o n e

of t hose eggs .
I w as very s m all then , a s little a s

an a nt .
I kne w that m y ho m e w a s t o be in
the gr o u n d .
S T OR Y OF A L OC U S T . 45
But h o w sh o uld I get there

I wa s afr aid to cr awl do wn the tree .
S o m eth ing m ight cat ch m e .
S o I crept o ut to t he end of the

branch and let g o .
Do w n I w ent over and o ver t o the

, ,
grou nd.
It did n o t h u rt m e at all .
I bored m y w ay dow n into the

ground .
I at e r o ot s for m y foo d .
I did n ot lo o k a s I do n ow .
I was only an ugly bug .
I grew to be a s big as th at s h ell .
L a st week so m e th ing s ee m e d t o
me up int o t he brigh t w o rld .
S o I b o red m y w ay th rough
gr o und a nd ca m e ou t .
I cr awled up on that twig y ou see

there .
I fix e d m y cl aws into it very firm ly .
Then a queer thing happened ! m y

dry brown c oat s pli t O p e n on the
ba ck .
I p u shed m y back up and t h en ,
pulled o ut m y head N ext ca m e out

.
m y fo ur wi n g s .
They were li ttle so ft green things ,
all cru m pled up .
Then one by one I pulled out m y

leg s.
Th ey were very w eak at fir s t .
I lean e d over back w ard s and m ove d

the m u p and d own That m ade th e m
.
gr o w str o nger .
At la st I pulled m y whole body out

of m
y s hell .
Bu t I clung to it w it h m y feet .
S T ORY OF A L OC U S T .
47
The n y ou should have seen m y

wi ngs.
L arger a nd larger they gre w .
They soon bec am e as l arge a s they

are no w .
But they w ere still qu ite so ft and

the veins w ere green .
Be fore long m y w ings were hard

an d gl ass y a nd the veins were black
,
.
I c an fly now w herever I cho os e .
I am glad to g e t out of t he ground

into this beautiful world .
Do you wo nder that I love to si t

up in t he tree s and m ake m u sic ?
B A S KE T M A KER .
M S KA I
' '
L ook what a fine bas ket I h av e

m ade .
I li v e in the ba s ket . I t is
m y hou s e .
My littl e m ate never leaves her

hou s e .
S he h a s no wings so she c ann ot fly

,
.
S he l ays m a ny little eggs in her

basket .
N ext sprin g her b abi e s will co m e

o u t of the m .
Then each o ne will begin to m ake

a ba s ket for him s el f .
He doe s not n eed t o stop t o l earn

ho w .
He m ay be on a l o cust or c edar or
p ine tree .
He d o e s not see m to care .
He goe s t o w ork and m ake s the

best ba s ket he can of what he h a s .
I s t hat not a pre t ty good way

A LITTLE B U I LDER . 51
A L I TT L E B U I LD ER .
Here i s a pict ure of a qu e er lit t le

hou s e in t he wa t er .
The lit tle b ui lder lives in side .
He i s called a C addi s “ e r m T
.
D o y ou s ee h i s funny lit tle h o u s e

I t i s m a de of tiny s hel ls and
s to ne s .
Mr Ca ddi s “ o r m h as a very so ft
.
f
little body .
He c o uld no t live long i n th e water

Wi th o ut hi s h o u s e .
A hung ry fi sh w o uld soon find hi m .
Wh at c an he do He m ust find a
s afe pl a ce to live.
Per h aps h e h a s see n Mr S n ail wi t h

.
his house on his back He s ee s what

.
a go o d th ing t hat is .
B ut no ho u se has be e n given to Mr .
C addis Worm .
Perhaps he ha s heard ho w Mr B a s .
ket Wor m h as m ade a house for hi m

s elf .
He m ay think : W e ll I can do that

,
m y s elf ”
But he has a harder task th a n Mr .
Ba s ket “ or m
f .
He h a s t o bui ld right i n the w ater .
He picks up little s hells or bits of

stone , or w h at ever he can fin d .
He s ticks t he m t o gether with a kind

of glue he m ake s h i m s el f .
A L I TTL E B U ILDER .
He b e gins his hous e wh e n he is v e ry

little .
A s h e grows bi gger , h e m ust k e ep

adding to it .
H e fa sten s a little s ilk e n door over

the end of his house .
C an you guess w h at goes on inside

of that house
Perhaps you can if you look at the

picture .
Yes he fli e s aw ay , for wh e n he
,
co m es out , he h a s wings Then he i s .
c alled a Ca ddis F ly .
I am gl a d he has s uch pr e tty w ings .
He worked s o hard to m ak e his

house I think he ought to have a goo d
,
time n ow .
54 NAT U RE ST ORI ES .
A M O S ! UIT O .
I .
Here is a n ene m y of ours S he h a s .
a pretty gr ace ful for m , but I am quite

,
s ure th at none
of u s w ill ever
like her .
An d no won
der , she does
n o t tre at us at
all we ll .
I f only s he w ould let us alone then ,
w e w ould n o t b o ther about her s o m uch .
We do no t like her s ong We do .
n ot like her bi t e.
S o take care Mr s Mo s quit o We

,
. .
m us t fight for our s elves i f you a tt ack u s .
L et u s see i f w e cannot learn s om e

thing of in t ere st ab o ut her .
A M OSQ U IT O .
Th at is all the good w e m ay h Ope

to get fro m her , I am sure .
The r ain barrel will be a good pl a ce

to go to learn about her .
N 0 she does not live ther e I I O W

,
'
s he did live t h ere once .
We will go to se e how s he b egan

life
.
A h ! there i s a little piece of bro w n

lint fl o ating on t h e water .
N o indee d , that i s a w hole bo at of

,
m osquito egg s glued t o gether .
Is it not a queer
p l a c e for M r s .
Mosquito to leave
her egg s
But sh e kn ows
wh a t sh e i s about I s u ppose
,
.
A ft er a w hile littl e wiggl e tails co m e -
out of these eggs .
W at ch the m a s they go wriggling

through the water .
How funny t hey a re !

S ee t h e se little hairs at the end of
their t ails .
They breathe through those h air s .
A s they grow l arger they S plit open

,
their sk ins a nd c om e out .
You ofte n see their old skins lying

on the water .
Aft er a while they see m to h av e

ch an ged .
I f you s hake the w ater down th e y ,
go tu m b lin g over and over to th e

botto m .
The n they are c alled tu m b lers .

A HO USE FLY .
Thank you ,
wa s very kind
0 f you to
help m e out
of that di sh
of w ater .
You have sa ved m y life .
I am sure t h at you are kind to all

thing s .
Y o u did not like to see m e strug

gling t here in the water .
You w ere w illin g t o help m e tho ugh ,
you do not like m e .
I w ould like t o d o s o m ething for you .
I will s i t s till and le t you se e the

beaut iful c o lor s o n m y w ing s .
O SE
A H U FLY .
59
See ho w I rub m y legs together .
That is the way I keep the m cle a n .
Se e h ow quickly I c a n b e nd m y
he a d and give it a rub .
I w a s h s o m e w h at as your cat do es .
S ee m y long trunk ! W atch m e

su ck up m y food t h rough it .
I f you had s uch eyes a s I h a ve you ,
co u ld se e m ore thin gs ab ou t m e .
I h ave hundred s of e y e s .
I do not have to turn m y he a d a s

you do when I w i s h to se e arou nd
,
.
My eye s l o ok every way .
I have wo nderful little feet .
I c an walk on t h e ceiling w ith m y

.
he a d do w n
.
! u s t thi nk of that !
We have a hard tim e I can t ell y o u

,
.
Pe o ple o ft en wish t hat there we re

no flie s in the world .
60 NAT U RE ST OR IES .
But eve n we do so m e good .
We e at up thing s t h at w ould m ake

t he air b a d i f le ft a lone .
Our children live on j ust such things .
But I m u s t fly off now a nd keep ,
out of y our house .
I will tell m y friends , too , not to

bother you .
You we r e kind to m e .
S O M E F R I E NDS O F O U R S .
I .
Her e is one of the m He r n a m e

.
i s Ichneum on F ly .
What a big h ard n a m e ! It m e a ns

,
“
a tr acker .
A nd w hat a wo n derful tr acker she

is !
SOM E FR I EN D S OF O U RS . 61
N o hunte r or dog
could find hi s pr ey
better .
she such a good hunter Do you

think she h un ts for fu n .
N O , i n d ee d ! she is finding food for

h er lit t le o n es
.
To be a true little m ot her she m ust

surely do th at .
S he kno w s that he r ch ildre n w ill

e at insect food only .
I ca nnot tell you how she kno ws

th at
“
S he doe s not e at such food herself .

62 NAT U RE S TOR I ES .
S he did when she w a s you n g of ,
course .
DO you s uppose she ca n re m e mb er

it
Her gre at work in li fe is to find the
right place to l ay her eggs .
Perh aps s he goes along on a t ree .
S he wishe s t o find where Mrs .
Beetle le ft her egg a nd t h e food for

her li ttle one .
S he taps a nd taps on t he tree .
S oon she finds the pl a ce .
O ut co m e s her long s h arp drill fr o m

i ts ca s e.
S he bore s a hole and leave s

eggs there .
Drill and ca s e t o ge t h er lo o k only

like a black h air .
P erhap s s he goes t o a cocoon a nd

leave s her egg s in i t .
SOME FR I EN D S OF O U RS . 63
Then after a while her children will

com e out of it inste a d of a m oth or a
butterfly .
II .
Here is another Ich n eum on F ly .
S ee how tiny she is .
S he will never gro w any b i gger .
Perh ap s you think she i s too little

to be of any u s e L et u s s ee
. .
S he know s t hat her lit t le one s will

need the body of a caterpillar for foo d .
S o that i s the very p lac e sh e l e aves

her egg s .
B y and by the little o n es c o m e out

of t h ese eggs .
S oo n the y spi n tiny whit e c o c oo n s

for the m selves .
You m ay o ften see thes e little white

cocoons all over a c aterpill ar s body ’
.
Be fore long little white lids will

open a nd t iny i chn eum ons will fly
,
out .
I c alled the i ch neu m o n flies our

fr iends .
Of cou r se the y do not k n ow th ey

ar e of any use to us .
The y go abo u t t heir own wo rk i n

the best w ay the y know .
In doing th at th e y help rid our gar

den of m any things th at are h arm ful
to it .
S h e h a d a littl e pie ce of a le af folded

up b e twe e n her hind leg s .
S h e crept into t he hol e with i t .
I could n ot se e wh at she did in sid e .
S oon she cam e out a nd fl e w aw ay

I n a littl e wh ile s he ca m e b a ck with
another leaf .
Th e pieces of le av es we re n early
r oun d .
Is it n ot que e r th at sh e can c ut
th e m out hers e lf ?
S h e c a rri e s her s cissors wit h h e r .
S he know s how t o m ake a circl e .
I w atched her for so m e ti m e S h e .
see m ed to be work ing very h ard .
A ft e r s e v e r al d ay s I w e n t b ack .
Th e be e had gon e away I w aited .
so m e t im e , but sh e did not com e back .

A L EAF - C U TT ER B EE . 67
I thought I wo uld lik e to see wh at

sh e h a d done .
I saw a m an c om ing with a plo w .
In ano t her m in ute her nest would

be plowed up .
S o I dug d own into the ground and

fo und her nest .
It looked like a little roll of le a ves .
E ach l ea f h a d bee n cut j u s t the

right s hape by the little bee .
The leaves on t he sides were lo n g .
A l e af w as laid over the place w here

t wo other s ca m e together .
At the ends were the round pie c e s

of le a ves
.
The r e were m ore than thirty pie c es

in this ne st .
Yet this nest wa s not a s large a s

the y are so m eti m e s .
I began to unroll the little bundle .

I w as a nxious to s e e wh at I should
find insid e .
At l a st I h a d taken off all th e l ea v es .
The r e wa s one tin y whit e gr ub , and

a great d eal of bee br ea d .
Mr s B e e knows h ow to m ake b ee
.
bread out of the yellow flow e r d u st .
You think t h at was a gr eat d eal of

dinner to put up for s uch a little being .
Bu t r e m e m b e r th at it gr ows v e ry
m uch bigg e r eating all th at food .
S he pu t up enough to l a st till i t wa s
re a dy to go to sleep a n d c h ange into
a bee .
The n it c ould c om e out and t ak e

c are of its e lf as it s m other did .
A B U T TERFLY . 69
A B U TT ER FL Y .
I l ew do y o u do
9
yo u
st e ppe d t here on
th a t fl o wer .
h av e fo l low ed you
s o m e t im e .
O h ! d o n ot be a fraid I .
will not hurt y ou .
I do not wi s h to catch you .
Why should I d o th at ?
Yo u would n ot l ook pretty then ,
.
I c o uld not be ar to h o ld y ou fast ,
and have y o u trying t o ge t away

fro m m e.
I only wi s h to lo o k at y ou .
Ho w pretty you l o ok flitting there

,
e v e r the flo w er.
70 A RE S TOR I ES
N TU .
Ho w bea ut iful you r wi ngs look a s

y o u c los e a n d open th e m !
Why ar e y ou si tti ng t h e r e Ar e
you g et t i ng y our di n ne r ?
You m ust b e very d ain t y to eat only
w hat y o u fi n d t he r e .
Wh at a lo ng t ongue y ou h av e
looks lik e a bl ack thre a d .
I love t o s ee y ou un r oll it an d put

i t down into t he flow er
-
queer it looks t o
s ee you roll i t up lik e a
watch sp ri ng Do .
you alway s r oll it

up when
you ar e n o t
u si ng
it ?
Do y ou r e me m
ber when y ou w e re a cate rpill ar
A Q U EER H O U SE . 71
Wh at a greedy thing y o u w ere then

How you did eat and e at !
I am gla d you h a ve m ore dainty
ways n ow .
A nd you have s uch pretty wi n g s

What ! Must you be going Mr ,
.
Butterfly
I am gl a d you did n o t fl y off at
fi r st w hen I c am e u p so cl os e t o
,
you.
I h Ope t o see y o u ag ain .
A ! U EER H O U S E .
I .
What is thi s
It gre w 0 11 an o ak tree , but
not an a corn .
It is a little round h o use .
It h as no d oo r s or wi n dows .
72 NAT URE S T OR I ES .
How can any

o ne get in or
o ut ?
N 0 o n e c an
get in very w e ll .
But so m e o n e
will c o m e out ,
by an d by .
H ow do you suppos e h e ever got

in
He gre w in t h ere Hi s hou s e grew ,
.
too .
Is that not qu eer

L et u s hear ab o ut it .
O ne day a g all fl y c am e up to th e
-
plac e w h er e t hi s h o u se is now
‘
S he took o ut her sh arp dr ill fro m

its ca s e.
S he m ade a h o le wit h it .
I n s ide t he h o le S he pu t an egg .
He h a s live d shut up in hi s ca stle

long enough .
Oh , i f he onl y h a d his fi ont door

O pen !
But th at does not w orry h i m .
He h as never been out into t he

w orld ! but he knows just w h at to do .
He c ut s hi s way thr o ugh his hou s e .
Off he flie s a nd le a ve s hi s front door

O pen.
He i s done wit h hi s hou s e now .
Doe s thi s n ot so und like a fairy

sto ry
I s n o t the round house like an e n
chanted fairy p alace
III .
M ORE A B O U T T HE RO U N D H O U SE .
I h ave an o ther queer t h ing to tell

you ab o ut t he round h o u s e .
MORE AB O U T TH E RO U ND H O U SE . 75
I m ust t ell you of w hat u se such

houses are t o u s .
“
Wh at “
you say ! how can we
use the m
“
They are not good to eat They .
are too little for us to li v e in .

”
But stop w e m ake so m ethin g

,
fro m t he m .
There i s so m ething in the m that

h e lp s to m ake good black ink .
! ust think of that ! Perh ap s the

ink I am using no w w a s m ade of ju s t
s uch fairy house s
You s ee the lit tle fairy bu i lder doe s
s o m e good for us t oo w i t h h er m agic
, ,
w and .
NA TU RE S T ORI ES .
A GRA SSH O P P ER .
How do y o u do Mr ,
.
G ra ss hopper
very lon g legs
y ou have !
Ye s they help m e
,
to ju m p But I
c an fly too ,
.
id you ever see

w ings
si t s till h ere , y o u
c an n o t see the m They .
ar e all f olded up like a fan .
I h a ve long s traight wing covers to

keep the m s afe .
Watch m e when I fly Then you .
w ill see wha t big fine w ing s I have .
They are nearly a s pret t y a s a but

t er fly s w ing s
’
.
A GRASS H OP P E R . 77
But I am not like a butterfly .
I never wa s an ugly crawling worm .
When I w a s young , I looked n early

a s I do now .
Bu t I w a s v e ry littl e and I h ad no
wings .
A s I gr e w bigger of c ourse I c ut
,
gr e w m y first c oat .
I h a d nobody t o m ak e m e a n e w
suit a s you hav e .
My old c o at was so little , I split it

op e n do wn th e ba c k ! but no one s aid
a word to m e for t hat .
Th at i s the w ay I tak e m y co at Off .
N ow c o m es the best p art of m y

story.
A s soon a s m y old co at was off,

t h e re w a s a n ew one alre a dy m ad e .
It was on m e , too , and fit m e

e x a ctly .
Whenever I outgrow m y old co at ,

I t a ke it Off .
I al w ay s find a ne w one under it

ready m ade .
My wings have been growing ever

s ince I w as little But they are gro w n
.
n ow .
I a m grown too I sh all not need

,
.
to change m y co at any m ore .
This one will not wear out nor will ,
I o utgrow it .
I have everything now th at I n e e d .
H M H
A S L EE P O N T H E T REE S .
L ook at the bare trees .
B ut w hat i s t hi s on a twig ?
be a bu d ?
N 0 i t i s to o big
,
for a bud .
AS L EEP ON TH E TR EES . 79
It is a big br ow n cr ad le .
The litt sle ep er in si d e

m ade hi s ow n c r a dle You .
sh o uld h a v e seen h i m do it !
S pin spin spin ! How h ard he did
, ,
work !
“ hen his cr a dle w a s done h e went
T
,
t o sle e p .
Do y o u know w h at he was
O nly a big green caterpill ar .
N ext spri n g the w arm sun will

w ak e n h i m .
H e will creep out of his cradle .
H e w ill n ot h ave t o cr aw l any m ore .
He will be a beau t iful m o t h .
I hope you will s e e h i m .

NAT U RE S T OR I ES .
H e re is a br anch w i t h a few l ea ves

still hanging upon i t .
Why do they still han g to the tre e

G o close a nd l ock .
S tran ge sight ! They

are tied to the tree
wi t h s ilk .
Who c o uld h a ve
done s uch a thing
The little fello w i n
side of t he lea f did it .
Did he kno w t h at le aves fall off

be fore winter com es
Did he wish to be s ure t hat hi s bed
woul d still s wing o n the tre e top -
A t any rate he has tied hi s leaf fa st

,
to t he twig A nd h e ha s gone in s ide

.
for hi s long sleep .

82 N AT U RE S T OR I ES .
M an y caterpil lars sleep in their

c oco ons in the g r ound .
S o m e spiders have hidden inside of

de a d leaves on th e ground .
C ri cket s and gra s shopper s h a ve le ft

their eggs in t he groun d .
Here and there under logs o r stones

,
or in cra cks wasp s and b u m ble bees

,
-
and others have hidden .
In their hiv e s the honey be e s spend -
their w inter .
They h ave plenty of sweet honey

to eat .
A s w e go a bout thi s bl e ak wintry

w eather it see m s as i f ne arly all life
,
w ere g o ne .
But it o n ly sleeps in bud and seed ,
in egg and co c oon in earth and w ater

,
.
The Giver of li fe can w aken it in

t he m orni n g of t he year .
AN O WL .
83
OWL .
O ne day a boy an d his father w en t

hunting.
The boy sat down on the log to rest .

Pr et ty se e n his father cam e up .
“h
T
y, m y
“
son he s aid , see th at
”
,
ow l ! ”
Wh e re said the boy .
O n the log ne ar you .

”
Th e re sat the owl a l m ost n ear

enough for the boy to to u ch it An d .
he had not seen it .
Ca n you think w hy
I will t ell you .
Mr O w l s at v e ry still
. He di d .
not m ove .
Hi s feathers were agai n st the log .
He w a s nearly the sa m e color as

the log so th at he looked like a
,
part of it .
He did not open his big eyes .
He only peeped t hrough one ey e ,

to see what the boy w a s doing .
He did not get scared and j um p off .

86 NAT U RE S T O R I ES .
BEAV ER AND SQ U I RRE L . 87
W at ch m e a s I t ur n a nut over
a nd o v e r i n m y sh arp cl aws an d
gnaw it .
“
My te e th we ar away as I use the m .
Th at ke e ps the m sh arp .
T h ey keep growin g all th e tim e so ,
t h at they do no t w ear out ”

.
“ “
Why , s aid the be a ver , I h a v e
”
just s uch t e eth as that m y s e lf .
“
But I ca n gnaw m u c h bigger
thing s th a n nuts with m y teeth I .
c an gn aw down a tr ee ”
.
“
Ind e ed ! but why s h ould you do '
that
“
We need the trees to m ake a dam
acr o ss the w ater .
C o m e wit h m e , so m e day , an d I
will show you how we do i t .
M a ny of us w ork together in wi n
ter We can w ork bett e r i n th at w ay
. .
We m ake ourselves houses to live

in They are m a d e of sticks , a nd pla s
.
t e r e d over w i t h m u d .
“
H o w do you plas t er the m 9 s aid
the squirrel .
“
We do i t with our big fl at t ail s .
They are our tr o wel s .

”
I s that why you h a ve such qu ee r

flat tails
“
Ye s that is i t We co uld not w ork
,
.
very w ell i f w e h a d such long h airy

t ail s a s y o ur s .
“
Yo ur t ail i s be a uti ful but do e s ,
y o u no goo d I fear ,
”
.
“
There y o u are m istaken ! I t i s so
ligh t t h at it be ars m e up w hen I le ap ,
fr o m one part of the tree t o ano t her

,
.
”
“
I m ust tell you m ore about w h at
w e can b uil t said the beaver .
“
We like t o have the water com e
They help m e to c ling to the tr e e

a s I cli m b up ”
.
W e are n ot m uch a lik e surely ,

.
But ea ch of us s e e m s to h a ve the
things he m o s t n e eds .
”
THE D U C K A ND THE HEN .
G ood m orn i n g , M r s H . en
,
”
q u ac k e d
the duck .
“
G ood m orn in g clucked th e h e n
,
”
.
L et u s tak e a w alk s aid the d u ck,

”
.
V ery w el l frie n d Duck , I shall be

,
g l a d to go with you I e nj oy a good

.
walk . I al w ays find so m a ny good

things to e at on the w ay ”
.
“
L et us go down to the pond a nd
h a ve a good s wim .
”
S wi m ! ”
s aid the h e n N ot I ! .
TH E D U CK AND TH E H EN .
I do no t enj oy h a vi n g my dre s s so w et
a n d drabbled .
I V hy ,
'
I r u n in o ut of the rain
w he n ever I can .
“
I look like a fright with m y dress
w e t It m akes m e cross , too N o n o !

. .
,
you do not c atch m e going i n to the

w ater
”
.
l V ell thi s i s queer s a id the duck

, ,
.
N o w I love to go i nto the water

,
whe n ever I c an .
“
It does not get m y dr e ss w e t at all .
The rain slips right off of my

back .
“
But i f you can not s wim , you can
run m uch better th an I c a n .
“
The children all l a ugh w hen they
s e e m e runni n g T h ey say I w addl e
. .
Perhap s I do .
“
That is bec a us e m y legs are set so
far back o n m y body I can swim .
better w ith t he m so .
0 Mr s Duck let u s st e p h e re an d
,
.
s cratch a bit ! I am sure you w ill fi n d

a nice lunc h .
”
The s cales lap over s o as t o keep

the w ater out .
They al e hard s o that they c a n not

be c o m e s o a ked w ith w ater .
T h a t w ould m ake t he m h eavy .
hey are o ily s o that t he fi s h c a n

!
slip easily thr o ugh t he w ater .
Th e y a r e in m any piece s so tha t hi s

b o dy can be n d ea s ily in sw i m m i n g .
Ho w c o uld he have a bet t e r coat

WH I C H H AS TH E B ES T COA T ?
N o w we w ill l oo k at t he bird s coat ’

.
H ow beaut iful it is , all m a de of

feather s !
How soft an d light t hey ar e !

Th e y will not be h ea vy for h e r to
c arry a s sh e flie s up .
I n dee d they help her to fly

,
.
S ee ho w wide she can spr ea d out

her wings .
S he can pr e ss o n a gre at deal of air

with the m .
Th at is what m akes h e r rise .
A h ! wh at a good c o at she h a s !
Here is an a ni m al w ho h a s a nother
kind of co at .
I t i s very thick and very h ar d .
I t i s all in two pieces .
It will open like a bo o k .
Mr Mu ss el lives in s ide
. .
How can he get about with such a

heavy coat
98 NA T U RE S T OR I ES .
S uppose he lived in the wat er and

had t he co at of a bird , wh at w ould
becom e of h i m
S uppo s e the bird h a d his o r the
fish s c o at w hat could she do
’
,
E ac h one se e m s to h a ve w h at is b e st
for his ow n use .
A C U TT L E FI SH .
A big fi s h wa s sw i m m ing about in

the sea i n search of food .
He s oon spied a c ut t l efish .
“ “
Ah s aid Mr Big F i s h now I
.
,
s hall have a good din ner .
SO he s w am aft er Mr C u ttle fish a s

.
fa st a s h e c ould .
On sw am the little fish pr e tty fa s t

also .
A C U TT LEFI S H . 99
S uddenly the w at e r see m ed to be

com e quite bl a ck .
“ “
Why ! said Mr Big F ish , w hat
”
.
can be t he m atte r Wh at h a s be
c o m e of m y dinner
“ '
I cannot s ee anyt h i n g
Has it suddenly beco m e night o r,
have I gon e blin d ? ”
S o he s w a m around a s best he could .
S oon he got into the clear w at er

ag ain.
100 N A T URE S TOR I ES .
Ther e a ll w a s light and b right a s

be for e .
But what h a d b e co m e of M r C uttle .
fish
S hall I tell you a s e cret th at Mr .
Big F ish did no t kno w

Mr C uttlefi s h alway s carri e s a n ink
.
bag with h i m .
He sa w that th e big fish w as about

t o catch hi m .
S O he e m ptied hi s b a g i n to the
water .
That m ade t h e wat e r b l a ck all ab out

hi m
Then Mr Big F ish could not se e
.
hi m .
S o you s ee he coul d ea sily s w i m off

a n other w ay .
I s not t h at a pre t ty good way of

s avi n g h i m s el f fro m harm
S he laid h e r egg s about in seve r al

places .
L it tle t h ings that look e d lik e worm s

c am e ou t of the s e egg s .
Their m o t her did not st ay to take

car e of t he m .
S he kn e w they could tak e care of

t he m s elve s .
S he needed on ly to l eave th e m on
this dr e s s .
The little m o th s at once began to

m ake t he m s elve s dresse s out of this
one .
They bit out t he pieces an d w ove

the m t ogether .
They m ade t he m s elves nice little

c as e s or dre ss e s .
By an d by t hey gre w t o o big for

t heir li ttle dresses .
SO M E LITTLE D RESS MAKERS . I 03
I V h at di d t hey d o t hen
’
I V h y ! t he m o st sen s i ble thing i n
t he world .
T h ey c ut ope n the i r
o ld dre s se s and s et in
a n ew piece .
That m ade the m bigger you s ee ,

.
They did t h i s a s o ft en a s they grew

t o o big for t he o ld dre ss e s .
C an y o u gue ss w hat t hey had to eat

all thi s t im e
I V h y ! t hi s dre ss to be s ure
,
!
A ft er a while t hey w ill s h ut t h e m

selve s u p in t h e s e c as e s .
They will s leep t i l l t hey ar e ready

to c o m e o u t w i t h w ing s.
They wil l be r eady t o

lay egg s in so m e o ne s ’
cl ot hing They m u s t pro

.
vide for th e i r o w n b aby m oth s .

Th at is their way of doing it .
Well , li ttle m oths , you are pretty

c unning little d r ess m akers But I .
a m n ot willing to let you m a k e your
dresses out of m ine .
I m ea n to keep y ou out of m y
clos e t .
The ge ntle So u t h Wind has c o m e

again .
He s ays : G o back cold N orth

,
Win d to y o u r h o m e Yon have played

,
.
your ro u gh pranks long eno ugh .
Yo u have h a d your ti m e playi ng

with the ice and sno w .
“
The S pri ng Su n a nd A pril R ain
and I m u s t have our ti m e n ow .
106 N AT U R E S T OR I ES .
Make the co u ntry

‘
m ore be a utiful ,
y o u fl y m g flo w ers .
’
how gladly all th e litt le p e o

I V at c h
ple obey the S ou t h I V i n d .
A t the fir st c all m any of t he m peep

,
fro m their hidi n g pl a ce s .
S o m e of the m can scar cely w ait to

be called .
At the fir st hint of a warm day ,
t hey peep out h o pi n g it i s t im e to

,
ge t up .
But o ften the cold s ends t he m back

to bed again .
Bu t n ow t he So u t h I V i n d and t he
S un have s ent ! ack F ro st and N orth
Wind off for a long ti m e .
So t he little pe o ple are all aw ake .

AWAKE . 107
Ho w busy they are ! Work ! I

s h ould thi n k so !
What a tim e th ey h a ve finding a

place for th e ir ho m es .
Then th ey work h ard in building

the m .
The n the y m ust car e for th e ir lit t le

one s
How diffe ren t th e big bro w n hous e
is no w from what i t wa s i n t he wi nter
'
Wh at a bu s y , buzzi n g, working liv ,
i n g plac e i t is n ow
.
A ll th e little people ar e aw ak e busy

,
a nd h appy at t heir work .

A C O C OO N .
Her e i s a c o coo n.
It fa s tened t o a lit tle brown twig .
We cann o t se e inside of it .
We can n ot hear anything .
I t s ee m s like a po o r dead
thing .
S ee w hat a thick war m

covering it has .
N o c o l d can get i n to
har m the little s leeper inside .
Do you not w o nder w h at

is going on in s ide this little brow n
hou s e
A great caterpillar m ade this h o use .
H e u s ed to live o n t he m aple tree .
O h ! how h e did eat leaves !
On e day he bega n to s pi n .
Ho w be a ut iful they are

Your co a t looks like red and whit e
st riped vel v et .
Yo ur fe e lers look like little ferns .
Did you k n o w your s e lf whe n you

c am e out w i t h that fine dre s s ?
D O y o u re m e m ber when you w ere
only a caterpillar
H o w glad y o u m u s t be n o w to fly
i n s tead of having to cra wl
F ly aw ay pretty m oth , and t ry your
,
beauti ful wing s .
I do not wish to keep you .
A K I NGBI RD .
Do you s ee m e 9
I am a kingbird .
I am a figh t er . I w ill tell y o u w hy

I figh t.
K I NG B I R D .
111
My m ate and I m ade our nest in a

cherry tree .
S he is s itt i ng in t h e ne s t no w
.
Thi s is m y perch up here at the top

of thi s tree.
I s it here all day I m e an to de fend

.
m y little m ate . N O har m shall co m e

t o he r
.
II2 NAT U RE S T OR I ES .
If another bird co m e s here I giv e ,
m y shrill cry . The n I fly after hi m .
Yes t erday a woodpecker c am e to

ge t the cherri es .
But I would not have it N ot that .
I c are for cherrie s .
N o indeed ! I eat insects

,
.
But I am not going to have h i m

here botheri n g m y m ate .
I fle w after h i m I pulled out s o m e

.
of his fe a thers .
He was glad to g e t away , I can t e ll

you .
I have to be pr e tty brave to stick to

m y post all the tim e .
S om eti m e s a thunder s h ow er co m e s
up but I do not m i n d that m uch
,
.
I j u s t s i t here eve n i f I do get w e t

,
.
A s oldier m u s t n ot r un even i f ,
s o m e thing unplea s ant d o e s h appen .

1 14 N AT U RE S T ORI ES .
We have t h e de are st ho m e in the

world I am s o happy I lo v e t o si t
. .
h e re an d s ing .
N o w I will tell you a secr e t i f y ou

,
will be kind .
I sing so that m y littl e m ate c an

hear m e an d be h appy t o o
, ,
.
TH E RO BI N S SONG
’
. 115
I do not w ish her to be loneso m e .
Ou r nest i s n o t in this tr e e .
But it is so n e ar th at m y little wife

c an he ar m e
.
No w i f you find her you Wl ll not ,
harm her or our lit t le ho m e , w ill you

S he do e s not l o ok j ust like m e .
I f sh e wor e such a g ay dress as

m ine , you c ould fi n d he r e a sily
S o could the c at or any o th er ene m y
of o ur s.
S he wears a dre s s th at i s suited t o

what sh e h as to d o .
S he h a s to si t on h e r nest a long
tim e.
S o her dress i s ne arly th e color of

th e nes t and the tree .
You c an n ot see her e a sily .
Well , good by I m ust go to find

,
her so m ething t o e at .
1 16 NA T U R E O I ES
ST R .
A N A N T S S T OR Y
’
.
I am a
On e day l w a s
o ut hu n ting so m e
thi n g t o e at So on I
. a big
piece of s ugar m any ti m e s as big
,
as I am .
I w o ndered where it c am e fro m .
I looked up and found th at a bi g

gian t had brought it to m e .
Y o u d o no t call her a gi ant You .
c all h e r a little girl .
“
Well I th o u ght not all these
”
, ,
bi g pe o ple ar e cruel .
”
118 NAT U RE S TOR I ES .
That little girl w ished to l earn about

us , I am sur e .
S he h a d a glass with h e r .
It m a d e u s look bigg e r , she said .
Her e y es c an n o t s ee suc h li t tl e
things a s w e ar e very we ll
,
.
I wa s gl ad to let h e r see how we

m anaged to ge t in th e good s t ore sh e
g av e us.
I should lik e to tell th e li ttle girl

ab o u t the w ay w e liv e , for she was
ki nd t o us .
I f sh e w ere n ot s o big , I would i n

vite her down i nt o our hom e .
I wo uld show her all the roo m s and

hall s deep do w n i n the grou n d .
Do w n there i s our qu e en S he is .
the m other of all .
O nce sh e h ad wing s .
AN AN T S S T OR Y
’
.
1 19
But wh en she s ettle d down at hom e

sh e took the m off Sh e did not need
.
the m any m ore .
S he lays the eggs The n the nurs e .
a nts t ak e car e of t he m .
Tiny w hit e grubs co m e out of th e s e

e ggs .
A grub looks lik e a we e whit e worm .
Th e nur se ants m us t feed it a nd

was h it .
They take c ar e of it a s i f it were a

b aby .
By an d by it go e s to s le e p in a w hit e
c ase .
You h a ve o ften se e n these w hi t e

bundles .
The n u rs e ants car ry the m off i f

any danger co m e s near our ho m e .
A ft er a w hile t he ca s es O pen and ,
full gro w n a nt s c o m e out

-
.
1 20 NAT U RE S T OR I ES .
I II .
We are very busy , h ar d wo rking —
little people .
I canno t take that li t tle girl down

int o m y ho m e .
I cannot s how her the things I h a v e

t old you abo u t .
But I c an take her wi t h m e when I

g o to m ilk .
S he m ay fo llo w m e s o m e d ay to the
pri m ro s e bush .
Then she w ill see where w e keep

our cow s .
S he w ill find m any of us running up

and down the ste m of t hat plant It .
is our cow pa s ture .
O ur co w s do not run about a s big

c ow s do.
They fasten the m selve s t o th e pl a nt ,

and keep s ucking out t he s ap .
We do not like h i m .
Bu t I a m a wo rker ant an d m ust

not s t o p l o nger .
Perhaps y o u m ay se e the littl e girl

who w as s o kind to u s .
Tell h e r to co m e o n with her gla s s

a nd s ugar w henever she likes .
'
We s hall be glad t o let her s e e all

she can .
-o o w: o-
o
TH E BEST ! U M P ER .
“
I can j u m p farther than you
:
N o y o u cannot I can j u m p the

,
.
far t hest ”
.
Did you ever hear b oy s talk th at

w ay
T he n you m ay have s ee n the m try
to s ee w hich c o uld d o best .
Perhap s they j u m ped six feet .

T H E BE S T ! U M P ER .
1 23
You th o ught they did very w ell .
I will tell y o u ab o ut the b est j u m per

of all .
His nam e i s Mr F lea . .
Wh at an odd
l oo kin g in s ect !
See ,
what
stro n g leg s !
His b o dy i s
c o v e r e d with
plate s of h a r d to ugh s ki n
,
.
O y o u h ave s een h i m an d you d o

, ,
n o t like hi m !
N either d o I ! but t h at i s no reason
w hy I s h ould n ot learn so m e thi n g
ab o ut h i m .
There i s o ne thing he can do better

t han any o ne el s e .
He c a n j um p t wo hundred ti m es hi s
o w n leng t h .
1 24 NA T U RE S T OR I ES .
His long hi nd legs h e lp h i m to do

that .
T hi n k wh at a sp ring h e m ust m ak e
to go so far !
I f a litt le boy cou l d ju m p lik e th at ,
he could go m o r e th a n a s qu ar e at on e
leap .
Woul d n o t that be fun

v
Well Mr F lea , I hope you w ill use

,
.
your big j u m p s to take yoursel f away

fr o m u s .
The n w e w i ll not both e r y ou .
-
o
A MAY FLY .
Here i s a beautiful little May F ly .
S o m eti m es she is called a D ay Fly .
She ha s but o ne day t o live and

enj oy her beautiful wi n gs .
By a nd by sh e wa s all ready
S he crep t out of the water and out ,
of her old dre s s .
A n d here s he i s as dainty a nd pretty

,
a s can be .
Do you feel so rry that s he cannot

live l o nger
S he d o e s n o t n e ed t o live m ore than
a day .
S he ha s but o ne thing t o d o ! s he
m ust lay her egg s on the w ater .
Then her life wo rk is d o ne .
S upp os e y o u o r I h ad to m ake so m e
thing that wa s t o last but one day
W o uld we try to m ake it as p r et t y
and perfe ct as this little May F ly is
SOM E LITTL E H E L PE RS . 1 27
S O M E L I TT L E H E L P ER S .
A h ! here i s a p oo r lit tle dead bird .
It o ught n ot to be le ft lying here .
Som e o ne o u gh t t o bury i t .
L oo k ! t h ere are so m e li t t l e p eo p l e
about it .
They are cal l ed s ext o n beetle s .
What can they be d o in g

1 28 NAT U RE S T OR IES .
I think th ey ar e b u ryi n g the li ttl e

bird .
Dig dig , dig,

,
how b usily th e y
work '
They ar e digging the dirt out

u n de r it
So , little b y little , th e bir d sinks
d own into the ground .
Why do the y t ake all this t r oubl e

Do th ey k now th at the bird s body ’
sh o uld not b e le ft lyi n g th e re

Perhaps the y do not know that .
But they do kno w th at this body is

j u s t the food that their little o n e s w ill
need .
SO th ey ar e going to l ea ve their
egg s there .
An d now th e y are covering i t up .
They are doing good even i f t he y ,
do no t know it .
S ee t he m r olling pu s hing a nd tug

, ,
ging w ith all their m ight .
No w they are getting o n very well .
S ee they h ave Co m e t o a high

!
place .
How can they get up

Push a nd t ug ! t here ! they are
al m o s t t o the top
‘
A h ! a s lip d ow n t h ey go bugs
, ,
and ball t o the foot of th e hill .
It l oo k s very funny .
DO they g i ve u p their hard task

They ge t up and try again .
I feel al m os t a s i f I sh o uld like t o

help the m .
But perhaps t h ey would not thank

me .
A h ! n ow they up the h ill

ar e .
Do w n they g o rolling o ver and over ,

,
o n the ot her s ide .

T U MBL E B U GS . I31
Up a gain a nd at thei r work .
What does t hi s m e an
Where did t hey ge t the ball ?
What are they g o ing to d o with i t
They m ade it t he m s elve s .
They have put an egg in s ide of i t .
Thi s ball i s m a d e of j ust what their

baby w ill need t o eat .
N ow they are going t o take t he ball

t o a s afe place .
Pe r hap s they will take it t o the s ide

of the r e a d
.
I f y o u w atch the m y o u will s e e

,
the m c o ver it up .
Then t hey w ill go aw ay s at i s fied .
They have d o ne t heir part .
They h ave pro vided for their little

o ne s
132 NA T U RE S T OR I ES .
A L I TT L E C AR P E N T ER .
are yo u d o ing lit tl e bee

,
P
‘
Are y o u g e tting ready to m ake a

h o use
Do y o u m ean t o have that tre e cut
do w n and h auled aw ay
“
I am hunting a pl ac e to m ake a
house .
“
This twig suit s m e pr e tty w e ll .
But I shall n ot need to cut it down

and take i t a w ay .
I 34 NAT U RE S T OR I ES .
But I a m m aking it for m y little

childre n , so I w ork ve ry gladly .
“
Yo u are a pre t ty fine little carpe n
ter I think
,
.
Do y o u m ake a ny new style houses

Do y o u try t o m ake t he m any bet
ter than bees used t o m ake P
‘
“
The carpenter s tha t I kno w m ake ,
better a n d finer h o uses th a n carpen

ter s used t o m ake .
“
Perh ap s you cann o t learn to d o
that B ut I am su r e you do the best
.
y o u can .
”
A ! U EER F E LL O W .
Hi s na m e i s Walking S t i ck .
That is a queer na m e is it not ,
He i s a quee r fel low too ,

.
Hi s na m e t ell s j u s t w hat he i s lik e .

A Q U EER FE LL OW .
135
S ee ! he look s al m ost like a sti ck ,

or t w ig .
Y o u w ould sc arcely see h i m a s h e

sit s t here upon t he
t wig .
He is j u st about
t he c o lor and shape
of a li tt le t wig .
But h e really
has a head and
legs .
When he w alks
he look s very m u ch lik e
stick walking So h e h a s
.
n a m e t hat fi ts h i m pre tty w ell .
C an you t hink why he h as s uch a

queer shape
He cann ot be ea s ily s een a s he i s .
Hi s queer shape help s pr ot ect h i m

fi om har m
'
.
I 36 NAT U RE S T OR I ES .
Even this h um ble li t tl e ins e ct h a s a

w ay giv e n h i m t o prote c t him sel f .
Hi s M ak e r gave h i m Wh at h e m ost
needed .
A L AD Y B U G S ’
T A LK .
I .
Of cour s e you all know m e .
My nam e i s L ady Bug .
So m etim es I am called L a dy Bird .
S e e m y b ea u t i fu l red and
black cl o ak !
I h av e a pair of w ings
folded up sa fe u n der it .
Did you not kn ow t hat I can fly

1 38 NA T U R E S T OR I ES .
They h ar m t he plants .
They are the very t h ing s that m y

friend s and I like best for food .
S o we take off a s m any a s we can .
The m o re L ady Bird s t here are , t he

fewer green bu g s on the pla n ts .
My children like the s e gr e en bugs ,
t oo .
So I alway s leave m y li ttle yellow

egg s w here there i s plen t y of foo d .
When t he lit tle one s creep o ut they ,
need n ot go far to fin d t heir dinner .
They are very very greedy litt le

,
o ne s
Bu t t h ey are gr ow ing fa s t you se e !
,
so they m u s t eat a great deal .
My c hildren d o n ot l o ok at all like

m e w hen t hey are li tt le .
A L ITTL E AC T OR . 139
They are dark c o lored grub s with

-
yell ow sp ots .
They have n o w i ngs .
They m u s t s leep for a t i m e in a

little case glued t o the under side of
a leaf.
Then they co m e o ut L ady Bir ds

like m e .
Do not fo rget that I am you r frie n d .
Be a friend to m e .
- o }“
o - 0 0
A L I TT L E A C T OR .
On e day I walked in the m e ado w .
A ll at o nce there w a s a little qu ail

,
flu ttering al o ng in fr o n t of m e .
I could not s ee w h ere i t ca m e fr o m .
“
P o or little t hi n g I s aid h ow
”
, ,
lam e y o u ar e !
“
Y o u m u s t be badly hurt .
1 40 NAT URE S T OR I ES .
I w ill p i ck y o u u p and s ee w hat I

can do for y o u .
Bu t I di d n ot pick her up .
! u s t a s I g o t to h e r sh e fl e w aw ay
,
a s w ell a s c o uld be.
“
What c o ul d sh e m e a n by pl aying
hu r t in t h a t w ay
”
NAT U RE S T OR I ES .
A L I TT L E GYMNAST .
Do y o u kn ow w ho t hi s
is I t is Mr L ooper
. .
He m akes hi s body in t o
a loop a s he w alks .
I s not that a q ueer w ay

of w alking ?
Do you know w hy he
m ust walk t ha t way
He ha s n o leg s in the m id dle par t
of hi s bo dy.
I f he w i s he s hi s back leg s
co m e up w ith hi s fro n t one s ,
he m u s t m ake a Ioop of hi m
s el f
.
I V at ch h i m so m e t i m e to
see h o w he d o e s it .
S om e ti m e s he w i s he s t o g o
fro m a t ree to t h e gr o und .
A LITTLE GYMNAST . 1 43
He ha s a cu t e w ay of doi n g t h at .
He swing s him sel f d ow n by a s ilken

thre ad.
He S pins it hi m s elf as he goes .
H e can clim b b a ck up hi s thread i f

h e like s .
But I m ust t ell you wh at a h ard

.
thing he can do .
He c a n h o ld hi m s elf t o a t wig w it h
hi s tw o b a ck legs .
Th en he can st re t ch his body o u t

free fr o m t he t wig .
He can re m ain str aight and st ill that

w ay for a l o ng ti m e .
D o y o u not think t ha t i s a ha r d
exercise
He l ook s al m o s t exa ctly like a t wig
w h en he doe s t hat .
C an y o u t hink why he doe s such a

t hing
Perhaps h e t hi n k s t he b ird s will

supp o se h e is only a tw ig a nd le t hi m
al o ne
.
Is it not wonder ful th at e ven a

m e as u ring wor m h a s a w ay to pro
te et hi m s elf ?
A LI V I N G LI GHT .
Here i s a littl e fairy

who flie s about i n the
night .
But he d oe s not m ind

t he dark .
I n deed w h y should he
He carrie s h i s own litt le
light w it h hi m .
You have o ft e n seen

h i m w i t h h i s lit t le candle .
Y o u call h i m a F irefly .
146 NAT U R E S T OR I ES .
A L I TT L E M E SS E N GER .
Here is a fine
lit tle m essenger .
He is dre s sed
i n v e l v e t an d
gold .
He i s a pretty
noisy litt le fello w .
“
H u m, h um,
buzz buzz all ,
”
day .
He is a very
fai t h ful m es s en
ger .
You m ust not bother h i m ab o ut his

w ork .
Perhap s he m ay fight you i f y ou d o .
He goe s to s ee R e d C lover .
“
G o od m orn ing dear C l o ver he
, ,
”
A LITTLE MESSENGER . 147
“
says . I have brought y o u s o m ething
n ice.
“
Here is s om e fl ow e r dust fro m
-
yo ur friend acro ss t he field .

”
“
Than k y ou , Mr Bee , s ays R e d
.
”
C lo v er .
How glad I am t o ge t it !
-
I wa s needing so m e fl ow e r dust -
v ery m uch .
“
I use i t to m ake m y s eed s grow .
“ ill you go back t o m y fr iend and

T
t ake h e r s o m e of m y fl ow er dus t -
“
Tha t w ill h elp her seed s to gro w .
That I will says Mr Bu m ble Bee

,
”
. .
A nd so all day t hi s li ttle m e s senger

flie s abo u t fr o m fl o w er t o fl ow er
He car r ies a good m e ss age t o e a ch
o ne.
B ut w ho pay s h i m for all hi s t r o uble ?

D o e s h e ge t n ot hing for hi m s elf ?
O h , yes , i n deed ' th e p r e tty r e d

cl o ver s p ay hi m .
S uch s we e t hone y a s th ey h a ve for

li i I I I
N o one k nows how to g e t it s o well ‘
as he .
His cousi n Honey B e e , can not get it

at all
Perh ap s the red cl o ve rs like hi m
better than a ny o t her m e ss e ng e r .
I am gl a d Mr Bu m bl e B e e , th at you
,
.
are such a good m e ss enger .
I am glad the red clo v e rs pay you

w ell wi t h t heir s w eet honey .
I fear w e woul d have no red clove r

i f it we r e not for you .
S o m eti m e s they h ave m a de a rough

stony field g o od to u se .
How do such hu m ble little things

do so m uch
How can th ey c o v er a field wit h
rich dirt ?
T h e y h ave no spad e s to dig with .
Th e y have n o basket s nor w agon s to

carry up the s o il .
S o they m ake bask e t s of the m s e lves .
They fill their o wn b o dies full of the

s o il.
Then they c arry it up and leave

lit tle casts of t he m sel v es on the
ground .
Of cours e one of th e s e little g arden

e r s c a nnot d o m uch .
But there are so m any of t he m .
Then the y work , work , work so

st ea dily .
A HU MMI NG B I R D . 151
E achone d o es his own little part .
A nd by and by a great good thing

is done .
A HU MMI NG B I RD .
S ee thi s dear li t tle bird .
W at ch he r dart fl ow er
fl ow er .
S ee her pu t h e r l o ng s lender
in to the fl ow er s .
YV h at h o l d s her up i n the air

Her w ing s are m o ving so fast that

t h e y keep her up .
Have y o u ever s een her a t rest ?
S he i s a very s hy little bird .
So m e t im e s s he m ake s her ne st o n
t he li m b of a tree .
S he c o ver s it on the o ut s ide with

m oss o r lichen s .
I t lo o k s al m ost li k e a kn o t o n the
li m b.
O n the in s ide sh e m ak e s her nest

very so ft .
S he lay s t w o very tiny w hite eggs

in t he ne st .
I t i s very hard t o find her nes t .
S he t rie s a s hard a s S he can to keep

it fr o m being fo u n d .
S ee w hat beau t iful c o l o r s s h e w ear s !

S he l oo k s al m os t like a fl o wer
her s el f.
He has s ix l e g s a nd four wing s ,

in s tead of t w o leg s and tw o wings .
He h as no beak like a bird .
Instead of t h at he h a s a very long

,
tongue like a hair

,
.
He can unroll it until it is sever a l

,
inches long .
He u s es it to reach down into the

flo w ers that h a ve l o ng tube s .
He i s as dain ty about his food as a

hu m m ing bird .
He w as not al w ays so d ainty a s he

i s n ow
He began li fe o n a t o m ato vine .
He wa s called a tobacco wo r m , or a
to m a t o wo r m.
He wa s very greedy t hen .
He had a very queer li t tle w ay of

rai s ing hi s head P e rh ap s y ou h a ve
.
seen h i m d o i t .
A HAWK M O TH .
155
He w e nt do wn
in to t he ground
for hi s long nap .
So he did no t
ne e d to m ake a thick
cocoon to keep h i m
w arm in wint e r
He slep t in a
qu eer lit tl e ca se do w n in t h e ground .
There w a s a lit tle st e m on on e S i de

of his c a s e .
Perh aps his long tongu e w a s stor e d

a w ay t here .
Wh e n spring c am e h e c r e pt out of
his dark b e d .
He w e nt forth to feed up o n t h e
flower s .
N ext ti m e you s e e a to m at o wor m ,
perhaps you will feel m ore in t ere s t in

hi m .
N o w you know hi s s tory You .
kn o w what a pr e tty w i nged thing h e

m ay beco m e .
A SN AI L .
H ow do y o u d o Mr S nail ?
,
.
Where are you going

I d o n o t think y o u will ge t there
very soo n.
Y o u g o so s lo w ly .
I kno w n ow w hat p eo ple m e an

‘
wh e n they s ay as sl ow a s a snail .
’
But I do n o t need t o run ho m e a s

you d o .
“
My ho m e i s alw ays with m e y o u ,
Well for m y part , I do not see

,
h ow y o u get ab o u t at all .
“
! u s t thi nk of having a house to
carry and o nly o ne foot to w alk w ith l
“
I cann o t g o very fas t a s y o u se e ,
,
but I d o m y bes t .
“
When I s t art I keep at it
,
.
S o I can really go fart her than y o u

t hink.
”
A D R AGO N .
D o y ou s e e m e
S ee m y fo ur beau t iful w i ng s
S ee m y big bri gh t eyes !
A DRAGON .
S o m e li t t le childr e n
call m e a s n ake feeder .
That is n o t m y na m e .
I have n othing t o do
wit h sn ake s .
I a m a Dragon F ly .
I am a dr ag o n to lit t le
insects .
But you need not be

afraid of m e I will .
n o t hurt you Ind e ed , I d o you m uch

.
goo d .
I like ins e cts for m y dinn e r . Of

course y o u are gl ad to h ave m e t ake
t he m out of your w ay
You should see h ow m any m osq ui
toes I c atch .
I s it very s till and w at c h sh arply

till I s e e one All at once I dart at
.
hi m very swiftly He c a nno t g e t a w ay

. .
1 60 NAT U RE ST OR I ES .
You see I like to s tay n ear t he

vvat e r .
old ho m e Do I look a s
I t w as m y .
i f I ever lived i n the w ater

I had no w ings t hen you m ay b e ,
s ure .
My foo d w a s lit tle w ater inse cts .
I w o re a m a s k over m y fa ce Th e n .
the insect s c ould not s e e m y strong

j aw s .
I co uld s wi m u p an d cat ch the m .
I lived in the w at e r for so m e ti m e .
My beautiful w in g s w ere gro w ing

under m y O ld S kin .
A t la st I kne w I wa s ready to le ave

m y o ld h o m e S o I crept up a l o ng
.
lily st e m .
My Ol d c oat s plit Open and I crept

ou t .
1 62 NAT U RE S T ORI ES .
A h ! there is a big m osquito !

He will never trouble you .
See how s wiftly I will d art

hi m .
A C ARE F UL L I TT L E M O T HER .
H e re is one of the
queerest of i n
sect m o ther s .
S h e is not
like d very
w ell S he h a s not a pretty nam e
.
,
either S he i s called an e ar wig

. .
Perhap s you m ay find h e r so m e t i m e

under a s t one .
S he h a s qu e er little wings .
Th e y fold up like a fan Then she .
doubles t he m crosswise and p uts th e m

under her wing cases .
A CAREF U L LI TT L E M O TH ER .
1 63
But I m ust tell you w h at kind of a

little m other sh e i s .
We ha v e r e ad of so m e insect
m oth e rs w h o never se e th e ir b abies .
But I a ss ure you sh e doe s .
S he really si t s on h e r e ggs lik e a

m oth e r hen.
Whe n th e lit t le on e s h atch out Sh e ,
lea ds t he m about t o find foo d .
S he take s very g oo d care of the m .
Is it not queer ther e are s o m any

different w ay s t hese lit tle folk s have
of c aring for their children
Th e re is always s om e t hing ne w and

intere st ing for us t o learn .
It is ne v er possible for u s t o kno w

it a ll
.
TH E M O S T W O ND ER F UL O F A LL .
I .
I have t o ld y o u so m e storie s of so m e
little being s abo ut u s .
We have re a d m any queer thin g s

abou t t he m and their babie s .
Many of t he s e babie s kn ow at onc e

h ow to t ake care of t he m s elves .
So m e of the m m ake h o u s e s t o live in .
S o m e m ake th e m s e l ves ca s es or
dre ss e s .
They know ho w to m ake these

bigger wh en they are too s m all .
They kn o w w h at kind of foo d t hey

need .
They kn o w wh e re an d h o w to get it .
Many of the m kn ow ho w to spi n a

c o c oo n for the m s elve s .
They see m to kn ow they m ust go

i nto i t for a l o ng S leep .
Hi s p aren ts do all the s e t hings for

him .He ca nn ot fly o r s wi m n o r run .
He c ann ot e v e n w alk t ill he le arn s

h ow .
I do not need t o tell you wh at kind

of a b a by this i s Yo u k n o w al r eady
. .
Perh aps you h ave one in y our ow n

hous e .
TH E M OS T WON DERFU L OF ALL . 1 67
You kn o w t h at he w ill be a m an
w hen he i s gr own .
He is not wo n derful for w h at he c an

d o no w But t he wo nderful p a rt i s
.
wh at he m ay le a rn to do .
III .
L et us think ofso m e of the w on

der ful t hing s m an can do .
He cann ot fly ! but he can m ake a

balloon th at w ill carry hi m up th rough
t he air .
He canno t ru n very fast ! bu t he c a n

m ake c a rs a n d a n engine The s e wi ll
.
c arry h i m m uch fa st er t han any an i

m al can run .
He can not swim very well ! but he

c an m ake a bo at t h at will c a rry h i m
over t he water fa s ter th an a fish can
swi m .
He has no h o u se given to hi m as ,
Mr S nail h a s ! but he can m ak e for

.
hi m s elf an e x c ellent house .
He h a s n o c oat of feat hers n or scales

n or fur giv e n h i m ! but he c an m a k e
b eautiful cloth e s for hi m s e l f
H e h a s n o light given hi m to c arry
about in th e dark as Mr F ir e fly has !
,
.
but h e kno ws w here to get gas a nd

m ake a light .
He know s too how to m ak e a light

, ,
a s brilliant as the ligh tning i t self

He h as no saw nor c hisel nor drill
given h i m ! but he k n o w s how to
m a ke all t hes e things and m ore for
hi m s e lf
He h a s n ot su c h wo n d e rful eye s a s
ev e n a fly ! bu t h e knows h ow to m ak e
gl a ss e s th at will let hi m se e things
.
he could n ot s ee at all wi t ho ut t h e m .
1 70 NAT U RE S TOR I ES .
S o he knows wh at h appen e d in th e
world l o ng be fore h e cam e into it .
D o es not m an see m t o y ou a v e ry
wise and wonderful being
He can be w hat i s be t ter still .
Think how m any s t o ries w e have

read of m e n w ho ha v e bee n br ave and
st rong and t rue .
H ow o ft en have t hey been ki nd and

he lp ful to people not so strong a s they
vver e .
A s t hey do s uch thing s they gro w

more and m ore like their Mak e r .
taught the spider ho w t o m ake

Her silken w eb s o light ?
Who g a v e her s uch a cunning way
T o t ake her airy fl igh t
TH E MOS T WON DERF U L OF ALL
. 171
Who told t h e tim id little bird

To play th at s he was la m e
A nd t ry to lead m e far aw ay
,
When n e ar her young I c a m e
Who t augh t a li ttle m other wa sp

To m ake her paper ne st ,
An d w o r k a w ay t h e s um m er hours
Without a tho ught of re st
How doe s a li ttle h o n ey bee

Kn o w h o w to m ake her cell
-
An d fill it with s uch d ainty food

T o feed her ba bie s well
It t heir Maker gave t o the m

w as
S uch wondr o u s s kil ful w ay s !
He gi v e s t h e m al l so m e wo rk to d o
Through all t he s u m m e r day s .
1 72 NAT U R E S T OR I ES .
He give s to u s m y childre n de ar ,
,
M o re skill of m ind an d he art ,

The n surely we s h o uld try our b es t
To do a s well our p art .
E LE ME N TAR Y NA T U R E S T UD I E S .
L ea ves and Fl ow er s .
Fi r st S t u d i es f or You ng R ea d e r s
l
Mod e h l t t l h Nor ma
. By
Wes t
MA RY A
h t . S P E AR , lt Pi i l
a e r nc
pa of
In t ti i
r od uc t
Sc
on
oo
p r
,
ce ,
S
2
a e
5 c en s .
Sc oo l , C es er , Pa . B oa rds . 10
3 pa ges .
Tbe Sp i r i t f
o Obser va t i on Is t b c bes t o
f fe ss or s
P ro .
Tbe r bi l d w lzo i s en dow ed w i t /z t lze spi r i t of r bs er v a t i on l ea r n s

f or lzi m self a m u l t i t u de o f li n t ! : w it h l:
f f or e ve r es t a e m i n d s t h a t a r e
t
fi d e / obs e r w n f M
’
1 nd t bl C E
er e n a n i n c ap a
q g O P A Y R .
P r oper ly p r es en t ed , n o l es s on s a r e s o i n t er es t i ng a n d a t t r a et i w t o
f l u/d r en a s t / zos e w i ne /z d ea l w i t / i li w n r l d a m m o /s , a n d
'
g p a n t s a n
n on e a r e m or e e Z ct i ve i n t lze e u l t i z a t zon o l mbi t s o ex a ct obs er v a t i on ,
j f f
' '
’
a cc u r a t e c orn a r zs on , a n d s ou n d r ea s on i n w R I C KS
f . .
T h as b ll i d t h t h b tt t i t he
!
een we sa at ea c ers ca n in no e er wa y ra n
pe r c e p tiv e facu l ti f h h i l d t h
es o t e c an by t eac hi g n him t o O b v
s er e
car e fu ll y t h e opera ti on s of Na t ure , bu t s uc h b v ti O s er a on s s h ou ld b e
i t ll ig t l y g i d d d h di
n e en u e un er t e re c ti
on of a ill f l t h
sk h u ea c er . T e
F h ffi i l p g m p p ly i
re n c o c a ro ra ur ose it
ns s s o n t h v y l m e t y h
er e e e n ar c ar
t f h i t ti giv i h
ac e r o t e n s ruc on en n t e p hy i s ca l d t l i
an i
n a u ra s c e n ces n
t h e co mm h l h h ild
on s c oo . T e c a t fi rs t t
s u di th thi g th t d
es os e n s a e
l ig h t h i h fl d
s s e n s e s , s uc as o w ers a n t he lp t f m f v g t bl
e asa n e r or s o e e a e
l i f i l h m t tt tiv m i
e , an ma s, t e os a ra c e l
ner a s , a n d h m t t mm
e f m os co on or s
o fi n se c t l if e .
E LE ME N TAR Y N A T UR E S T UD I E S .
My S a t u r day B i r d Cl a ss .
Edi t d by MA RG AR E T MI L L E R B oards t rod u c ti i

t P i by il
cen s .
e
tr ce ma , 3 0 ce n s .
. . I rz pa ges . In on pr ce , 2
5
H I S m ll v l m
s ah i g bj t t i g ph i
o u t
e on a c ar m n su ec con a n s a ra c a c c ou n
f o l l t gh t b y h t h i h i h h m f m i l i
a rea c as s au t e au or n w c t e o re a ar
bi dr s d
w ere ib d d t l k d b t A h l f h l
es c r e an a e a ou . t t e c os e o eac es s on a
wa l k t k f p ti l b v ti
wa s a en or ra c ca O se r a on .
Th b ek m y boo d id h ta h ppl m
e us e as a n a to t e eac er , or as a s u e en
t y d I i p i ll y d pt d f h p i g t m
ar r ea er t s es ec a a a e or t e s r n er .
ig t f h igi f t h i b k giv ll t
.
T h f lle o ow n acc ou n o t e or n o s oo es a n e xce en
id f i p p
ea o ts d pl ur ose a n an
MI SS MI LLER S ’
B I R D -C LAS S I N H ATFI E LD .
Th a t i t h l ll tiv
m e n s o u d e a d t o a n arra e o f i t s c o urse i s t h e
h l lly t g l i t htti h Mt iv gli ttlt Mill th t t H Mt t
w o esom e
a
day Bi r d C a ss
p e rs o n a
n a ura m e a n s b y w
e xper
c a r ar e e r s a cc o u n o f
’
D C ea h
y S a u
CO
r
re w n o t h e a r ac e b oo k
”
li h g i th t th ght th i i
e a . . .
n o w pub s e s B e un w no o her a n a d es re t o m pre s s u pon a
h il lv th t l g th i
. ou
fe w c dre n t h e o e o f bi rds a c o m e s fr o m k no w e d e o f e r n a m es a n d
y h t
w a s a n d c a rac e rs , t h e c a r m n h ig j t lw l ittl
a s so w e co m e d by t h e
l t t Mi Mill l g i i th
ro e c e
p
fo k s h a e r s bo o k n o w a d dr e ss e s a a r er a ud e n ce w a ll t he
’
tg v tt t i th v l
ss
a dv a n a e s o f a ro e d a e m I t h b d t h f f
ty l t t l v
u
l
e o a s p o n
p p as e s e e ur e r a
g
.
, ,
t an eo us r ace o f s e , an d t h e r u h fu n e ss o f a c ose obse r e r w h o k no w s
il
c h d r e n as w e ll i
as s h e do e s b rds , a n d i n m uch h i Wi t tty
t h e sa m e fas o n h p re
t h h i l t tiv l g g t
.
o uc es o f u m or a n d i n t h e s m p e s o f n a rra a n ua e t h e r e po r o f a
l gi i g hi i l i
e
doz e n esso n s i s ve n , du r n w c h t h e r o b n s , b ueb rds, S pa rr o w s , w o o d
k h l w k d thl l t h tg t f f w d
h it t y l m lli h
e c e rs , s c re e c o e s o o u r o o s
p s c u c oo s an a e o e r re q u e n u s
g
, ,
an d e d ero w s w e r e n rod uce d, a n d d e s cri b e d t o t h e S a urda c a ss , e be s e d

it
w h m an y t t i i g t littl t l
a n e c do es a n d l ig
e a e s t o m ak e t h e w ay o f e a r n n
l t l h t
e n er a n n
e a sa n , a n d t o c i n c t h f i t h y m m
p
l h h t t i i g i ti
e a c s n e e o r .
A t t h e c ose o f ea c r i s a p e n d e d a n o e s um m ar z n t h e s c e n fic
t th t ith i l t t l t iv
c a e
p p
fac s w a d m ra b e a r e e xc ude d fro m t h e m a i n n a rr a
t th t t i il
a ac e! an
g
a rra n e m e n be t oo m u c h c o m m e n ded fo r s m a r b oo k s o f
i t y g h h t ith t t y
a ca n n o
n fo r m a i o n for t h e oun , w i c a re o f e n n e e r fac n o r s o r bo o k i n t h e

e ffo r t t o b e bo th i t l
I n t h e m ds O f t h e esso n oc c urs o n e r e a l t y “
i n t he
h li h g t ll y W H i g hi h vi ly
. s or
c a rm i n ac c o u n o f Bi h a s be e n pr e
”
o us e k e e
’
w
it th it A
o us
gh
re n s c
p n ,
b d i n a n e w s a e r, bu t i s d t b n ed
l th g tti g l i i t y g h th v
p u s e e
p p q u e g o o e n o u o e u s r p r .
a n t he o f e a rn n e a ds m us a e be e n
th t h i t t hi h l y i l t
a rge r p u r po s e e n o u n
g n o
in i s e ac e r s n e n , w c h as l e d h e r a w a s t o t ry t o m p an i n t h e o u n g
’
y
h tt hl
e ar s t h e es so n o f
fu r h e r s o w s h o w w o
h h llyi t y t
um an
y
i
g th i g
i s t he
t li ttl f
o w a r d t h e b rds ! an d t h e u n a ffec e d
ll i of
“
c o ec t o n s
e b oo k
”
t th i gg h i h t l th
o
i
u n n e c e ssa r a er n
s u ffe d b r ds a n d s, w at d i fi r e o ur us ua m e od of
t h i g it l gy
e r e c g u
p re se n s
e ac n orn h o o R EPU B LI CAN, S r i n i eld,
.
p gf A t a ss .
SEAS IDE AND WAYS IDE .
B OO K 1 .
I ll u s t ra t on i f ro m No . I . ME . A ND MRS . C RA B .
C ON TE N TS .
LES S O N . LES S O N .
I Mr an d Mr s C rab XXI Th e Be e War

XX
. . . . . .
II Mr C rab an d h i s H ous e II T h e B ee s Work ’
t XX i
. . . . .
III Mor e abo u Mr C rab I II T he W s e B ees
XX V th
. . . . .
IV Mr an d Mr s C rab get New I E ar B ees
t X XV th
. . . . .
C oa s. O er B ee s
V Wh t XXV t
. .
a t h e C rab does I More abo u B ees
Fi XX V i
. . . .
V I Mr Crab an d h is r en ds II T h e S p d er an d his D res s

th XXV
.
id
. . . .
V II S ome O er Cra b s III Th e S p er at H om e.
V it XX X i l t
. . .
III The H er m C ra b I Th e L t t e Nes

i XXX i F
. . . .
IX Th e C rab ’
s E n em es The S p der and his oo d .
X XXX V y! i
. . .
T h e U ses of C ra b s I er u eer S p de r s .
X XX vi
. . .
Mr s Was p an d h er H om e II Re ew .
ht XXX
.
V
. .
XI I W a Mrs ! as p ca n do III O ut of H ar m s
’
Way
h ll F i h
.
X XX V
.
X
. . .
III A L ook at Mr s Was p I S e - s
XXV t y h
. . . . .
XI V Mr s Wasp s Year ’
X . Th e S or of Mr C on c .
XV XXX V i
. . . .
Mrs Wa s p a t H om e I S ea-B ab es
vi XXX V t bi
. . . . .
XV I Re ew II Mor e abo u S ea - Ba es .
XV X XXV t i ll
. . .
II T h e B ee an d t he Man III Abo u Mr D r

XV XXX X y
. . . . .
III H ow t he B ee i s Made I The S t or of a ! V ar
h ll Fi F
. . .
.
XIX T h e B ee atH ome XL H ow S e - sh ced
XX vi
. . .
. Th e B ee B bi a es . Re ew .
Bo o k I .
95 p ag e s .
32 i ll u s t rat i o n s . I n t r o d uc t i on pr i ce , z q c t s
B OO K II I .
Illust rat i on f rom No 3 . . B EAR S .
C ON TE N TS .
N LESS O N
t M th XX V t
. .
I T h e G rea ! oseph s
’
Coa
E th E l t h l XX V i M th
. o er . . .
’
II T he des C i d I Cous n
Pl t XV il i t
ar s . . o .
III A Look at a X II The Ch d of t he N gh

Pl t if X V i
. an . . .
IV A Year i n a ’
L X III Th e B rd
V F th Pl Plt t XX X an
l s e.
. . .
T h e G row of I B eak s and C aw s

XXX T W t
. an s . . .
V I T he ood of rees , G round , an d
v i
. an s . . a e
V II S eeds a nd Lea B rds

V l Pl t X X Wi
. es . .
III T he C o or of X I O n t he
M ti Pl t XX X N t il i
. an s . . ng .
IX Th e o on of II B u d ng
XX Pl tW t th i P t Pl t XXX XXX V i i H
. an s . . es .
. a n s an d e r ar ners . I II . T h e B rd a t om e .
1 Ai r, a er , an d S an d I B rds of S ong
XXX WPl tht thPt h At Pli lt XXXV th P
an s .
. . .
II ea t n ma Th e O er art n er
II I
. an s
ea XXXV A i
er
a
r op e i an s.
s.
I
.
B r gade of B r ds
.
l XXX V i
. . .
XI V P lan t C ocks . W II T he B rds i n t h e oods.
XV h l i t XX X V i
.
H
.
Th e S c Cab ne III Th e B rds i n t he ou se
XXX X Ft i
. oo . .
.
XV I M M
T h e Ol d an of t he eadow . I T h e L os B rds
XV i F ily
. . .
V II M
Th e L fe of t he Old XL T he i n am
i ti i
. an . .
X I II Th e Robber Cous n XL! Ou de an d I ns de

M y i X Wh th y v s
. .
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SC HO O L O F E D U C AT I O N

th e ir m e th o d s o f ho m e b il ding and o f ca ring fo r

the i yo ng ! the t ra n s f o r m a t i o n s the y nd e rgo ! th e

ad p t abil ity t o the ir s ro nding s as sh o w n by th eir

co v e r i ng s and the tools w i t h w h ic h the v a ri o s

a ni m als a re pro vid e d .

T he p p os e in a t te m p t ing t o bring th ese th o ght s

t o th e yo nge st read e r s i s m ani fol d

w hile ch il dre n in the ab nd n t l i fe ab o t the m and

that w he n t hi s in t e re s t i s gr a ti ﬁe d by lea r ing o f t h n e

w o nd e rf l l iv es a nd h abi t s o f t h es e l i t tle p eo ple ”

fo r l iv es w ea k e r th an the ir w th t they may n e v e r

gi e nn ec e ssary pain to any c re a t ure and n ev e r t a ke

goo d reaso A ch ild th s t ra i e d to feel fo r the

low e r fo rm s o f l ife ca nn o t fai l t o b e m o re c o n sid e rate

By in t e r es t i g ch il dren i n th e wo d e rful w ays o f n n

in sec ts it i s h op e d th at th e t i m id fea rf l c h i l dre n

wh o cream i f a bug h appe n s t o c o m e e a r the m

th ey o n c e fou d only p ain L t th e m le arn that in

m ost cases th ese in sects w ill d o th e m h a rm i f no ,

u n m oles te d L t th e c h il dre n see that it i s poss ibl e

for to lear m c h abo t in se ct s o r a i m als w i th

o u t h rting o r e ve to c h ing the m

T h e p rp ose i s t o di s c o rag e th e s t udy o f a n y ani

m al at the cos t of it s l i fe o r of giving it p ain I f ,

the a nim al ca o t b e k e p t in th e sch ool roo m w i t h

a h o m e and c omfo rts reason ably l ik e i ts own i t sh o l d , u

and ob se rve it in it s n at r al e nvi o n m e n t Th at i s u r .

the place t o s tud y l ife .

Lea v e th e c ollect ing a nd pull i g t o pieces a nd n a m n

ing of pa rts to ol d er a nd m o re sc i en ti ﬁc p e opl e if ,

t e nd e r he ar te d l i ttle c h il dre n a nd d o t coun te n a n ce

i t i t h ! ch il dren mo re c r el by ature All kn ow l

e dge th at ch il dre n gain by t ak ing l ife o r giving p ai n

t o b e i n gs wea k e r than the m sel ves see m s t o m e t o b e

gain e d at th e e xp e n se of th eir m or al n ature and i s ,

Fin ally i t i s s urely i m p oss ible t o b e c o m e ac q u a i n t e d

e v e n i n a sl ight de gree w ith thes e e x press i o n s o f t he

wo n drou s tho ught s o f G od w i tho ut be in g dra w n

n e a re r t o the ir Ma k e r and ours .

the sam e th ing t o d o th ey m a k e se e d: s .

T hese a re really l i ttle c ra dl e s in w h i c h b aby pla n t s

I t ri e d also t o l t yo u see so m e i the ways th e

plan t ha s to kee p he r see d b abies fro m har m t ill

W saw too th at m a n y o f th e m h a v e w ays o f

se n ding the ir l ittle o n e s t in to the w o rl d

N w I w i s h t o t ell yo u a f w th ing s a b o t ani m als

pro vid e fo r he r l ittl e on es .

S m o e tim es she has n o mo re t o d o than the p lan t

food w he n th ey b egin to gro w .

m a n y w ays anim al m o th e r s d th e se t h ing s o .

ab o t y to s e e h w m an y l i ttl e sto rie s you m ay

Pl an t s t o l d m a n y t h ing s b y w h at they did

o n e a n o the They o fte n ac t as if th ey di d

the m t reat o n e a o the r in a way tha t s ee m s v e ry

See if y ﬁ d on e a i m a l ta kin g the l ife o f

Enj oy the m b y loo king a t th e m j u s t as y ou d o

the bright s u n sh in e the b l u e h ills and the g ol d e n

su n set and e ve ry ot h e r b e au t i ful th in g i n th i s gr e at

S ee h ow the s e little m others t ake

Here i s a picture of a little m o t her .

W orking very hard .

S he s ee m s never t o st o p for a m in ute .