A DAY WITH A NATURE GUIDE 197 



others need shade in which to start. This principle 

 appealed to the children. An old seed-hoarding 

 lodgepole on the edge of the burned area was sur- 

 rounded and examined. It had borne a crop or 

 cones each year for seventeen years. All of these 

 cones, unopened, clung thickly over its limbs. 



A few days before the guide had led a party of 

 older people over precisely the route followed by 

 these children. He had talked to both parties 

 similarly, but apparently the children had more 

 deep and lasting enjoyment out of the day. 



Who would not be delighted to go with a John 

 Burroughs or a John Muir, to be personally con- 

 ducted to woods, lakes, and streams by anyone who 

 bubbled over with stories about birds, their home 

 life and their travels, chipmunks and their children, 

 and all the other stories and secrets of the wilder- 



ness ? 



It is splendid to have thousands of men, women, 

 and children coming home each year from their 

 vacations talking of the habits and customs of 

 the animals and plants with which they became 

 acquainted on their enjoyable yet purposeful 

 holidays. 



Nature guiding need not be confined to national 

 parks. There might well be nature guides in 

 every locality in the land. Fabre has shown 

 monsters and hundreds of little, stirring people 

 cooperating or battling in every growth-filled 

 space. City parks and the wild places near cities 



