7 6 



THE GUIDE TO NATURE. 



with stately step until near the bushes 

 where it ran swiftly and hid with its 

 mates. They must have concluded 

 that they were safe there as they did 

 not leave while I watched for them. 



Seven quail had been seen frequently 

 about the barn. One ventures in and 

 scratches in the hay with the hens, 

 but always flies down into the cow 

 stable or among the horses when any- 

 one goes into the hay mow. 



They had also been seen at the wood 

 pile near the house, and a few days 

 after I saw the one in the back yard 

 I stepped out of the living room door 

 to shake a rug", and frightened the 

 whole flock of seven quail from the as- 

 paragus bed not ten feet from the door. 



A cotton-tail made its home in the 

 yard for a long time. I saw it fre- 

 quently after the middle of August. 

 Our cat chased it. She evidently did 

 not think she could or should kill it. 

 so she simply tried to frighten it away. 

 It ran and hid, but did not leave the 

 yard for a short time afterward I saw 

 some chickens chase it and I thought 

 no wonder the little creature was so 

 timid if every other creature tried to 

 frighten it. After snow came we saw 

 the rabbit tracks and cat tracks to- 

 gether and supposed that the cats 

 would soon kill the rabbit. But it was 

 not until the middle of December that 

 they came together. 



My husband saw a cat watching 

 along the pathway to the gate and as 

 the path skirted an outbuilding he sup- 

 posed the cat was watching a mouse 

 hole. When he came back to the house 

 another cat came out as he opened the 



door. A minute later. Daffodil, the 

 first cat mewed to be let in, and as 

 soon as it had its saucer of milk it 

 mewed to be let out again. 



Half an hour later when breakfast 

 was over my husband started to the 

 barn but returned to tell us that we 

 might see something if we would keep 

 very quiet. We went out and saw the 

 two cats watching a little cotton-tad 

 which they had cornered. We saw 

 blood on the snow and some rabbit 

 fur also, and supposed the little fellow 

 was badly hurt. My little daughter 

 went up to the rabbit and picked it up. 

 It gave several cries but did not try 

 to get away. She brought it in the 

 house. I then took it to examine its 

 injuries. There was no blood on it 

 and no scratches that I could see but 

 a wound at the back of the neck. 

 While I was looking it over, Daffodil 

 came and putting his paws on my lap 

 began to lick the rabbit, washing it 

 carefully and not acting in the leasr. 

 as if he thought the rabbit was meat 

 for cats. The rabbit's ears were wet 

 and in fact it was damp all over. My 

 sister who was with us decided as we 

 also did that the cats had played with 

 the rabbit and when it had tried to 

 get away they had bit it as they do a 

 mouse to make it keep quiet. 



Supposing the rabbit was badly hurt 

 my husband killed it ; but when it was 

 dressed the wound on the back of the 

 neck was found to be not very deep, 

 and it would in all probability have 

 lived. That is if the cats had not played 

 with it too often. 



t 



'? 



jj The La Rue Holmes Nature Lovers League 9 



t, 



A 



BY GEORGE KLINGLE, SUMMIT, NEW JERSEY 



Explanation: — The aims of this League are in many respects the same as those 

 of The Agassiz Association. Therefore it has been proposed that the adult interests be 

 represented by "The Guide to Nature" and that the League co-operate, or possibly be 

 affiliated, with The Agassiz Association. — E. F. B. 



The annual L. H. Nature Lovers' cedent essays on nature themes were 



League celebration was held at the read and appropriate musical numbers 



Summit, New Jersey, High School, on were rendered by the pupils. 

 Arbor Day, May 7th, when many ex- 



