12 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



" Uncle Roy says it is as fine a rattlesnake as he 

 ever saw. That is why he bought it of the man from 

 the mountain, who killed it. There aren't any here- 

 abouts now. A good thing, too, because they are 

 biters ; but I want it for my collection. I haven't 

 many reptiles, you know ; only a garter snake, two 

 lizards, and a frog — whoa I Tom, eat fair; your 

 mouth is twice as big as Comet's." 



'^ How queer Daisy's tongue feels — it tickles my 

 hand," said Dodo. " She licks everything into her 

 mouth, but the horses take food in their lips. Uncle 

 Roy, please come down here and see how queerly 

 Daisy eats, and oh, my ! she hasn't any top front 

 teeth, either. Is she very old ? Do look ; her jaws 

 wiggle as if she was chewing gum ! " 



'' No, little girl ; none of the Cow Family have any 

 front upper teeth. A Avell-behaved cow sticks out 

 her tongue Avith a sidewise motion to guide the grass 

 into her mouth, while in the Horse Family the habit 

 is to seize it with the lips, and then nip it between 

 the teeth." 



" Yes, but, uncle ! " cried Nat, jumping hastily over 

 the fence to dodge Corney, who was tired of eating 

 peanuts one by one, and, giving a sudden butt, had 

 seized bag and all ; " Uncle Roy, cows are ever so fond 

 of chewing. They eat all the morning, and then they 

 go under the trees and chew, chew, chew, all the after- 

 noon ; but horses gobble their food once for all." 



'' Fm very glad you have noticed this, Nat. The 

 cow is built upon a different plan from the horse. 

 The horse has a complete set of upper and under 

 teeth, and a single stomach — something like our own 



