32 FOUR-FOOTED AMERICANS 



this winter, just as you saw the Fox to-night. I 

 have the skins of others packed away in chests ; and 

 some you must learn to know by pictures, until you 

 have a chance to see thera in the Zoo or in a ^Museum. 



" No more questions to-night. You will hear more 

 about the surprise to-morrow. Now I must try to 

 tell you how to climb the animal tree, so that you may 

 step easily from branch to branch and have a general 

 understanding of its groups and families." 



" This will be harder than learning about bones 

 and feathers that built the bird." 



"Yes and no! When yi>u began to learn the 

 geograph}^ of our country, what was the first map 

 you saw, Nat ? A map of one state, with all the 

 mountains, rivers, cities, and towns, large and small?" 



" Ah, no, uncle ; a plain, easy map of tlie «'hole of 

 North America, with only the very big chief moun- 

 tains, rivers, and land divisions put down. It took 

 us a long time only to learn the names of the states 

 and how they were bounded ; then l)y and by we 

 took them in groups, until at this school we are hav- 

 ing each state by itself." 



" Precisely. Now, in drawing this animal tree, I 

 will not put doAvn all small branches and twigs, but 

 merely the chief branches, so that you may have what 

 is called a 'general idea' of the whole. Then from 

 time to time you can study by itself any branch that 

 particularly interests you. 



"Now watcli," said the Doctor, drawing rapidly on 

 a large sheet of cardboard. " Your old uncle is no 

 draughtsman, but this Mdll do for a beginning, and I 

 will copy it neatly by and by, so that we can hang 



