80 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



" Because fur is giveu auimals to protect them from 

 the cold ; the summer coat of a fur beast is thin, as 

 you see the summer coat of a horse is short, com- 

 pared to the thick coat that grows out at the first cold 

 weather. (Look at Tom and Jerry and see how woolly 

 they are now.) As it is never very cold in the South, 

 the fur animals do not need such thick, soft coats as 

 they do here, while in Canada and northward, where the 

 winter is far longer and colder than with us, the fur 

 is heavier yet." 



" There is a word I've heard hunters use for the fur 

 of animals, the same as plumage means the feathers of 

 birds, only Fve forgotten it," said Ilap. 



" Pelage, is it not ? It comes from ^j>ert?6 (pelt), 

 which means furry skin , a skin used for the leather 

 instead of fur is called a hide." 



Two men stepped across the road, with what looked 

 like Kabbits and Grouse hanging over their shoulders, 

 but slunk into the shadow of some bushes when they 

 saw the wagon. 



''Pot hunters, I know," said Mr. Blake, ''snaring 

 and trapping, as usual." 



" How do you know they trap})ed tlie birds, daddy? " 

 said Nat. 



" Because they had no guns and hid Avlien they saw 

 us. If you watch Avood life much, my boy, you will soon 

 learn to see the reason wliy for things, and it is very 

 often the reason that helps you to see the thing itself." 



" Hoo-hoo-hoooo ! " came a cry from over a very 

 dark bit of road through Avliich they Avere going. 



" Nat, there is one of your friends, — the Great 

 Horned Owl," said the Doctor. 



