JUNE 



121 



Jack rabbits. This set of animals is un- 

 usually adaptable to all the varied possibil- 

 ities of life. The muskrat takes to the 

 water, the chipmunk to a burrow in the 

 ground, the rabbit to the brush, the squirrel 

 to the trees, while the flying squirrel almost 

 takes to the air. But one and all they 

 are cautious, fearsome, and alert, and for 

 the most part extremely rapid in their 

 movements. Not a few of them find safety 

 in venturing out chiefly at night. So they 

 have found for themselves a secure footing 

 where the bear and the wolf, the deer and 

 the bison have failed. And as it is one of 

 the largest so it is one of the oldest groups 

 of fur-bearing animals that to-day has any 

 prominence. Other old animal families are 

 for the most part decadent, but the rodents 

 show no sign of diminishing prosperity. 



VIOLETS BLOOM 



While the strawberries are creeping along 

 the bank and the chipmunk is scuttling 

 along the fence, back in the fields the child- 

 ren are plucking violets. 



