176 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



" Uncle Roy," asked Nat, as soon as Nez went out, 

 " why do the fourfoots smell so queerly, when birds do 

 not ? " 



" Some birds do," said Rap. " Don't you remember 

 the marsh where the Herons live ? " 



" The fourfoots all have odors that vary with each 

 species. Heart of Nature has a use for them like every- 

 thing else in his garden. Birds depend upon sight and 

 do not need the poAver of scent to guide them like the 

 fourfoots. These, though they all have voices and can 

 make sounds of pleasure or of warning, also need a silent 

 language by which to speak to one another, in order 

 that they may leave messages where absent friends can 

 find them in wood and runways, as House People use 

 written words. It is for this purpose tliat the power 

 of secreting these odors has been given tlie fourfoots. 



" This arrangement has given these animals very keen 

 noses, upon which they depend far more than on their 

 eyes for recognizing either friends or enemies. It is 

 this power that enables every animal to tell whether the 

 beast wlio has gone over a trail l)efore liim is a friend 

 or a foe, and it also serves as a weapon of defence, for 

 some of the little Mammals taste so disagreeal)ly that 

 their cannibal brothers do not care to eat them. You 

 know that the Skunk is as well able to protect himself 

 from his big brothers by his odor as if he had the claws 

 and paws of a (drizzly Bear." 



" Talkin' uv Skunks, here's a fine one," said Nez, 

 coming in with half a dozen little animals in his arms, 

 and holding the Skunk by the tail at arm's length. 



" What are those others ? " asked Rap, recognizing 

 some unfamiliar animals in the heap. 



