THE EARTH'S BOUNTY 



winter. So a cautious, watchful human can 

 learn more of their actual habits at that sea- 

 son of the year than at any other. 



Birds and animals are supposed to possess 

 an unerring instinct about seasons; yet there 

 were many babies still in the woods who, ac- 

 cording to all natural history lore, should 

 have been born in the spring or early summer. 



One day we found a belated baby squirrel, 

 who had lost his mother by some mischance, 

 and was starving to death because his teeth 

 were not strong enough to eat the hard food 

 which surrounded him. Another time, a 

 young opossum, who had been shot in the 

 shoulder; then two half -fledged monkey owls. 

 Of course all such waifs and strays were car- 

 ried home, and in time became pets. 



Day after day we return home buoy- 

 antly happy, and as hungry as hunters, to 

 enjoy a tea of home-grown luxuries. Then 

 we would settle down before a big open 

 fire to study; read for perhaps an hour; strike 

 #n assertion which some other authorities or our 



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