EXPLANATION NIGHT 101 



The hair of a horse is harsh, of a cat soft, of a Musk- 

 rat the longer hair is stiff and wiry and the under-coat 

 soft, and what we call furry. You know that the hair 

 on a baby's head is soft and downy, and not sharp as it 

 grows to be later on. 



" There are quite a number of other things that the 

 jNlamuials have in common with King Man. They have 

 intelligence, as well as instinct, and they can think and 

 reason also." 



" I don't quite understand about instinct and all 

 that," said Rap. "I know what thinking is, of course ; 

 but I thought that only House People could think and 

 talk." 



"Ah, there is where older heads than yours make a 

 mistake," said the Doctor, stooping to pile up the fire 

 that was settling forward, adding a few pine cones to 

 make it blaze. 



"Animals talk, though not in our words, and they 

 have also a language of signs and smells that we but 

 poorly understand, although the savage races and 

 people who live much outdoors have similar ways, and 

 can read many things by this sign language that would 

 puzzle very intelligent House People. 



" Let me see if I can explain the difference between 

 intelligence and instinct. Eating comes by instinct; 

 a baby eats without thinking, as well as other young 

 animals. An animal may help itself to the kind of 

 food that its family is in the habit of eating, and that, 

 too, is an act of instinct. 



" Now listen, an animal sees a bit of meat hanging in 

 the air ; it is bait tied by a string to a trap set to kill 

 him. He does not know this by instinct, for this per- 



