272 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 194 



care of the young under a wide variety of conditions is of paramount 

 importance in the sur^dval of every species. 



The diverse conditions under which the numerous species of ani- 

 mals live have resulted in wide variation in the activities of animal 

 home life. Cleanliness and care of the body covering is probably 

 of as great importance to animals as it is to mankind; for animals 

 do not have doctors and prepared medicines to use in treating their 

 sldn should it reach an unhealthful condition, and they cannot go 

 to a nearby store for new clothes if they neglect their one suit. 

 Memory is probably as necessary to animals as it is to us; for, like 

 us, animals must profit by their past experiences, must remember 

 where they have left food stored or hidden, and in other ways must 

 foster their welfare by remembering the things that are of import- 

 ance to them. Although animals do not generally use tools, certain 

 kinds do so to some extent ; and the use of carefully selected materials 

 by animals is rather common. To carry out their varied activities 

 without tools, animals have developed great skill in the use of their 

 hands, feet, tails, and teeth, parts that in many species have been 

 highly modified as specialized tools for special purposes. Efficiency 

 in the daily activities of animals is just as important as it is to us. 

 The inefficient may readily be eliminated in the keen competition of 

 nature, leaving only the efficient to survive. Play and exercise are 

 regularly indulged in by a great number of animals. In short then, 

 we can see in the lives of animals many activities that closely paral- 

 lel our own. 



Few people stop to consider why an animal reacts in a certain way 

 to a given alarm or stimulus. Consideration of such reactions is a 

 fascinating and instructive study. It frequently reveals facts that 

 we can put to good use in our own lives. 



The activities of any species of animal would supply the material 

 for an extensive study. Therefore, in this article the most that I 

 can do is to point out a few facts regarding a number of animals. 

 The facts that I shall bring forward are by no means lone in- 

 stances of interesting behavior. Indeed, an observer with a sym- 

 pathetic viewpoint will find that almost every action of an animal 

 is interesting because of its definite relationship to the creature's 

 mode of life. If a particular kind of behavior appears to be without 

 reason, it should suggest to the careful student that he does not 

 know enough about the animal to comprehend the significance of 

 the action. 



Most animals operate under rather definite time schedules, having 

 fairly definite times for sleeping, waking, and feeding, each species 

 following its own schedule. The clocklike regularity of certain indi- 

 viduals in adhering to the schedule is surprising. The carnivores are 



