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homes in such places, we shall probably be struck, firstly, by 

 the wonderful fitness of each wild creature to the particular 

 kind of wilderness which it inhabits ; and secondly, it will 

 gradually dawn on us that the life of these wild beings, so 

 admirably suited to their homes, is one full of joy, if not of 

 exultation. 



I believe the popular notion of an animal's life might be 

 summed up somewhat in this manner : It comes into the 

 world with a perpetual desire to eat and with an ever-present 

 fear of being eaten. All its actions are governed by what is 

 termed "instinct," which teaches it blindly to satisfy its animal 

 desires on the one hand and to escape its enemies on the 

 other. It may, of course, have moments of pleasure, but 

 in any case it is ever haunted by the fear of death either 

 by starvation or by some sudden calamity. 



That an animal's life may not only be free from care, but 

 may even be a career of triumphs such as man hardly knows 

 on this earth, is not, I believe, a popular notion. Yet I am 

 convinced that, in the majority of cases, the triumphant 

 career truly expresses the essence of animal existence. 



This is an idea which is very easy to state, but, I fear, 

 difficult to prove. And though I have long been convinced 

 of it myself, I would scarcely have brought it forward had I 

 not been emboldened by lately reading a book written by 

 one in touch with wild life, which expresses in a clearer and 

 more delightful manner than I am able to do the main issues 

 of this idea. 



The animal life, that of the American woods, of which 

 William Long writes in his '*' School of the Woods," is 

 widely different to that with which I am acquainted. My 

 experience is chiefly of the insect world of England. Yet I 

 venture to say that while listening to the smaller voices of 

 Nature in the English wilds, I have caught the notes of the 

 same joy of life which Long describes, and which ^eem to 

 ring like music through the wild life of the larger and more 

 highly organised creatures of the American forests. Perhaps 

 one of the most convincing lessons of the joy of animal 

 life may be obtained by watching, if Fortune favour us, any 

 family of young animals at play, for in that case we can 

 hardly fail to be impressed by the joyful spirit of their 

 gambles. 



Everybody has, no doubt, noticed how squirrels will, when 

 disturbed on the ground, run to and ascend the nearest tree. 

 As soon as they know they are safe they will peer round the 

 branches and watch the intruder without the slightest fear. 



