ALONG FOUR-FOOTED TRAILS 



backs. The front of little Snip's head was 

 nearly all white and the white patch extended 

 well out on his shoulders. The color markings 

 of these animals follow a general and well-de- 

 fined scheme, but there are interesting varia- 

 tions. 



Before they were able to climb out of their 

 home they would stand on their hind legs as I 

 approached the box. If I did not notice them 

 they would stamp their feet and chatter at me 

 in such a knowing way, as much to say, "we 

 want to get out and find our own food." When 

 I put my hand down into the box, one by one 

 they would crawl up my arm to my shoulder 

 and wait for me to place them on the ground. 

 Then they would scamper along, each one en- 

 deavoring to walk nearer my feet than the 

 other, until one spied a grasshopper or a beetle, 

 and away they would trot in the daintiest pos- 

 sible way and never notice me again until they 

 had eaten every insect they could discover. 

 The food of these animals includes large num- 

 bers of insects which renders them of economic 

 importance to farmers. On one of these ram- 

 bles, Snip undertook to eat a large stag-beetle. 

 [188] 



