EXPLANATION NIGHT 105 



you to find on which brancli of the tree and to what 

 guikl it belongs." 



" Shall we make tables as we did about the birds ? 

 1 love to write them," said Dodo. 



" Color, size, and all the guilds to which they belong ? 

 I think not," said the Doctor ; " for you will not be able 

 to see as many of these fourfoots for yourselves as you 

 did of the birds, and that is the reason why I have 

 made the ladder with a step in it for each animal, 

 plainly marked with its size and color." 



" Couldn't we write down the names of the guilds, 

 then ? " coaxed Dodo. 



" Certainly ; if you like, you can end the evening by 

 writing a list of the guilds and groups to which our 

 four-footed, no-footed, and wing-handed Americans 

 belong." 



"How many Mammals shall we learn about — one 

 hundred, like the Birds ? " 



" Seventy-five ; I think that will cover all the most 

 interesting, and I have in my portfolio the pictures of 

 about that number to show jon. 



" We may divide our Mammals into eight chief 

 guilds, though the larger ones have several societies 

 or branches, and I will give you the name of an animal 

 belonging to each guild to help you remember." 



I. Pouch Wearers The females of this guild carry their 



young in a pocket. (The Opossum 

 belongs here.) 



n. Sea Cows Clumsy water animals, who feed upon 



water plants, helping themselves with 

 their flipper-like fore legs. Hind legs 

 wanting. (Manatee.) 



