most of the time. Once in a while they awake and eat a little, and then go to sleep again.

It must be fun to see these little mice running up and down the slender stems of wheat and grass. They climb these slender stems as easily as a boy climbs a ladder. The finger-like claws clasp the stems and slender twigs. Then, too, the tail wound around the stem or twig helps to support the little animal as it climbs.

The little creatures will not tell you any of their secrets. If you wish to know them, you must watch to see what they do.

Did you see the large rat that William caught in the trap yesterday?

It was so fierce that Martha's large black cat did not dare to touch it.

"A cat afraid of a rat!" cried Jessie. "I thought cats liked rats to eat."

Cats do like rats, but only a few cats dare to touch the largest rats.

The rat is a fierce little animal, and will fight to defend itself.

With its strong, chisel-shaped teeth it gnaws through thick boards.

It has been known to cut open waterpipes made of lead, so as to get the water which it heard running through them.

Don't you think its teeth must be very strong? Its claws are sharp and strong.

It can run down the side of a house or a wall. Do you know why?

Its tail is very long, made up of rings covered with small scales and short, stiff hairs.

The rat lives in cellars, barns, drains, or in any place where it can find something to eat.

It eats all kinds of food. The rat is very fond of eggs, and sometimes carries them to its home without breaking them. Do know how it does this? It eats chickens, ducks, and goslings. If candles, oil, or grease are in the cellar, the rat is sure to find them.

you

Do you wonder that men set traps to catch them, and keep dogs and cats to kill them?

The best way to get rid of rats is to starve them. As soon as they find nothing to eat, they will seek some other place.

The rat keeps itself very clean. When it eats, it washes its face, ears, and hands, and brushes its fur just as a cat does.

yesterday fierce dare

exclaimed defend

"Over in the meadow,

In the reeds on the shore,
Lived a mother-muskrat

And her little ratties four.
'Dive!' said the mother;

'We dive,' said the four;
So they dived and they burrowed
In the reeds on the shore."

"Did you ever see a beaver? a real beaver?" asked Miss Dix.

66

mer," said Frank. "It is a strange looking animal, I think."

แ

"I never saw one," cried little Bessie. What does a beaver look like? Does this picture look like the live beaver, Frank?"

66

It looks like the beavers at the park. The beaver has a clumsy body covered with fur."

"Here are two pieces of fur for us to examine," said Miss Dix.

see, Frank?”

"What do you

One

"The two pieces look much alike. has long, coarse hair which is quite glossy; the other piece has not. Oh, I see now; the long, coarse hair has been taken out of this piece!"

"That is true, Frank. The beaver's fur consists of two kinds of hair."

"This fur which has only one coat of hair looks just like the trimming on mamma's cloak," said Bessie. "How soft,

thick, and silky it is!"

"You must remember it is very cold