188 THE ADVENTURES OF A NATURE GUIDE 



Came to Be Where I Am and What I Am. In this 

 each plant and animal gave its adventures, its 

 customs, its home territory, its climatic zone, and 

 all the endless and insistent play of the radical and 

 romantic forces of evolution, environment, and 

 ecology. 



A few popular and scientific names of species 

 were learned but the guide was reticent about 

 giving classifications. His chief aim was to arouse 

 a permanent interest in nature's ways, and this 

 by illuminating big principles. 



Climbing silently out of the canon up a moderate 

 slope just under timberline, this party halted 

 among the trees for a few minutes on the edge of a 

 small, grassy opening. A deer and her two spotted 

 fawns walked out into view, then went across into 

 the woods. 



All turned aside and followed a porcupine that 

 was lumbering across the opening, ignoring their 

 presence. The guide remarked that there may 

 have been a time when the porcupine threw his 

 quills, standing up and hurling them, he imagined, 

 like a primitive man a spear, but that the present 

 development of this animal would prevent the 

 quills being thrown more than three or four inches. 

 However, the other woods fellows make it their 

 business to keep out of his way. He has long 

 been known as "the stupidest fellow in the woods" : 

 he is the only one who never appears to play, who 

 has no interest in natural history, in nature guides, 



