268 THE BEASON WHY. 



' Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south ? 

 " Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her aest on high ? 



pursuit, and enable the animal to track its prey with greater 

 certainty. 



*. Why do the ears of animals of flight, such as hares, 

 rabbits, deer, fyc., turn backward ? 



Because they thereby catch the sounds that give them warning 

 of the approach of danger. 



1065. Why has the stomach of the camel a number of 

 distinct lags, like so many separate stomachs ? 



Because water is stored up in the seoarate chambers of the 

 stomach, apart from the solid aliment, so that the animal can feed, 

 without consuming all its drink. It is thereby able to retain 

 water to satisfy its thirst while travelling across hot deserts, 

 where no water could be obtained. 



1066. Why do woodpeckers " tap" at old trees ? 



Because by boring through the decayed wood, with the sharp 

 and hard bills with which they are provided, they get at the haunts 

 of the insects upon which they feed. 



1067. Why are woodpeckers' tongues about three times 

 longer than their bills ? 



Because, if their bills were long, they would not bore the trees so 

 efficiently ; and when the trees are bored, and the insects alarmed, 

 they endeavour to retreat into the hollows of the wood ; but the 

 long thin tongue of the woodpecker fixes them on its sharp horny 

 point, and draws them into the mouth of the bird. 



1068. Why have the Indian hogs large horns growing 

 from their nostrils and turning lack towards their eyes ? 



Because the horns serve as a defence to the eyes while the 

 animal forces its way through the thick underwood in which it 

 lives. 



1069. Why have calves and Ismbs, and the young of 

 horned cattle generally, no horns while they are young ? 



Because the presence of horns would interfere with the suckling 



