AN AUTUMN HOLIDAY 57 



America, but tlie Red, (xray, the big Fox Squirrel, and 

 the little C'liipuiunk, or Ground Squirrel, are the ones 

 most likely to interest you. The linino- of your 

 mother's coat is probably made of the skins of a 

 Russian Squirrel. Strange as it ma}" seem, the skins 

 of our species are too thin and tender to let them go 

 in the list of valuable fur-bearing animals." 



'' 1 suppose they are like the Moleskin that Rod 

 gave me to make a muff for my doll. It cracked like 

 a piece of paper, and wouldn't stay sewed well, and 

 it had a very queer smell tliat took a day to Avash off 

 my hands. Why do some animals have such strange 

 smells, Uncle Roy ? " 



" For two reasons. There are protective smells and 

 signal smells. The Skunk's odor belongs to this first 

 sort, and he uses his evil odor as a weapon of defence 

 and seems to thoroughly understand its power, for very 

 few" of the large beasts of prey ever care to get within 

 range of it. 



" The signal smells are as important to the Four- 

 footed People as speech is to House People. In fact, 

 the power of scent largely takes the place of speech 

 with them. What they lack in tongue is made up by 

 a wonderful keenness of ear and nose. 



" A Fox goes through a lane and can tell by the 

 smell whether it is a dog who has been there before 

 him or a brother Fox. The dog in his turn who fol- 

 lows knows by the scent where the Fox has gone and 

 can find him unless he crosses water." 



" AVhy can't he follow him across water ? Does it 

 wash away the smell ? " asked Nat. 



"Exactly, but — " 



