(Yftowmmf 



kittens of the cracker box was an extraordinary kitten 

 of "pronounced color," who survives and comes to 

 glory. The next book tells the biography of a fox, 

 born in a hole among the Canadian hills. Among 

 the pups born in this hole was one extraordinary pup 

 "more finely colored " than the others, who survives 

 and comes to glory. The third book tells the bio- 

 graphy of a wolf, born in a cave among the rocks, 

 still farther north. Among the cubs born in this cave 

 was one extraordinary cub, " larger than the others," 

 who survives and, as is to be expected of a wolf, 

 comes to more glory than the cracker-box kitten or 

 the, fox pup of the hills. 



Such are the stories that are made into texts and 

 readers for our public schools ; such are the animals 

 that go roaming through the woods of the American 

 child's imagination. But no such kittens or cubs or 

 pups lurk in my eight-acre woodlot. I have seen sev- 

 eral (six, to be exact) fox pups, but never did I see 

 this overworked, extraordinary, cum laude pup of the 

 recent nature books. 



So long as we continue to read and believe such 

 accounts, just so long shall we find it impossible to 

 go with Audubon and Thoreau and Burroughs, for 



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