.4 



WOODMYTH & FABLE 



THE PACK-RAT 



j^'.v.WAY in the mountain re- 

 nr'^W giori of the West is a little 



m ^"^"^^^ called a Pack-rat. 



^ "Pack" is Rocky Moun- 

 tain for "carry," and this Rat obtains its 

 name on account of its mania for carry- 

 ing off to its hole any odd or striking 

 object that may fall in its path. 



Each Pack-rat's home is in the mid- 

 dle of a vast accumulation of useless odds 

 and ends, such as pine-cones, white peb- 

 bles, and bones and skulls of small ani- 

 mals. Even crabs' claw^s from remote 

 waters find their way to the pile, and 

 cast-off snake-skins are esteemed particu- 

 larly precious. If a hunters' camp is near 

 by, the Pack-rat often finds opportunity 



\ i66 ^, 



