368 NATURAL HISTORY READER. 



his growls and menacing teeth, would keep up a systematic 

 worrying — catching at his tail, nipping at his legs, and even 

 poking her nose into his oars. At length the poor brute, 

 fairly goaded to rage, seized her like a rat, and, but for rny 

 prompt interference, that would have been the last display 

 of Nasua's rashness. 



13. One morning she got into the dining-room as we 

 were at breakfast. She took possession of madam's lap. 

 Her first act was to poke her nose at the coffee-urn. This 

 evoked a squeak of pain. It was supposed that she had 

 had enough. Not quite. Her next essay was on a cup of 

 hot coffee, with a similar result. She now smelt the con- 

 tents of the sugar-bowl. This discovery so excited that 

 " sweet will" of hers that instant removal became impera- 

 tive. 



14. Later in the day she tried to capture a wasp. She 

 struck it down, and held it a second under her foot. This 

 was met by an appeal, addressed solely to her understand- 

 ing, of so pointed a nature as made her chatter with dis- 

 tress. Disabled in one wing, the insect could not fly away. 

 Although still smarting from the wounded foot, the moral 

 of the lesson is only half learned. Coati can not give 

 " little yellow-jacket " up. So she tries the wasp again — 

 this time with her nose. Alas, that sting ! Miss Nasua 

 now finds that other little folks besides herself can utilize 

 their tails ; for, in proof of this, she receives not a merely 

 duplicated, but an intensified experience, such as exacts 

 a staccato outgush of agony of truly simian expression. 



15. We can recall but one lesson which she took sin- 

 cerely to heart. The old cow was quietly ruminating near 

 the house. With her usual temerity, for she was always 

 ready to " go it blind," Coati made an attempt to climb 

 one of Cushie's legs. The cow raised her foot to shake the 

 annoyance off, and in setting it down she put her hoof on 

 Nasua's tail, and there standing, gravely ruminating, held 



