204 The Book of Woodcraft 



Star." Note that it is in the end of the handle of a Little 

 Dipper, or, as it is called, the Little Bear, Ursa minor; 

 this Bear, evidently, of an extinct race, as bears, nowa- 

 days, are not allowed such tails. 



Now, let us take another view of the Dipper. Its handle 

 is really the tail of the Great Bear, also of the extinct long- 

 tailed race. (Cut 2.) Note that it is composed of seven 

 stars, hence its name, "The Seven Stars." Four of these 

 are in the bowl and three in the handle; the handle is bent 

 at the middle star, and this one is called Mizar. Just above 

 Mizar is a tiny star called Alcor. Can you see Alcor? In 

 all ages it has been considered a test of good eyesight to 

 see this Httle star, even among the Indians. They call 

 the big one the Old Squaw, and the Kttle one the "pappoose 

 on her back." Keep this in mind as a test. Can you 

 see the pappoose? 



If I give you the Latin names of the stars and the scien- 

 tific theories as to their densities and relations, you certainly 

 will not carry much of it away. But let us see if the old 

 animal stories of the sky are not a help. 



In Cut No. 2 of the Great Bear Hunt, for instance, you 

 see the Dipper in the taU of the long- tailed Bear; and not 

 only is this creature hunted, but in many other troubles. 

 Thus, there is a swarm of flies buzzing about his ear, and 

 another on his flank below b of the Dipper. These swarms 

 are really nehulce or clusters of very small stars. 



Close below the Bear are two Hounds of Bootes in leash 

 and in full pursuit of Ursa. They also have annoyances, 

 for there is a swarm of flies at the ear of each. On Ursa's 

 haunch are two areas that, according to the star maps, 

 belong to the Hounds, so we must consider them the bites 

 the hounds are going to take out. 



Last, and leading, is the great hunter "Bootes." If you 

 follov/ the Dipper, that is, the Bear's tail, in a curve for 



