32 



Animal Life : Self-Protection. — In the case on the left 

 of the gallery stairs will be noted, at the top, various 

 animals whose protection consists of spines all over, 

 the globe fish, the pin-cushion fish., and others, the 

 hedge -hog that would make an ugly mouthful for a 

 fox, the lizard commonly known as the horned- toad ? 

 the sea-urchin, and so on down the line. Other 

 animals depend upon the thickness and strength of 

 their outside covering, as do the turtles in general, 

 but especially the box turtle shown here, which 

 can not only withdraw into his shell, but can close 

 that shell up completely, till he is as snug as a bug in 

 a rug. The crabs are protected by their thick armor, 

 and 1210? t of the mollusca secrete a hard shell into 

 which they withdraw in time of danger. Many of 

 the animals best adapted for offense find the same 

 weapons of use in defense; teeth, claws, and other 

 parts may come handy at times. The rattlesnake 

 shown not only has poisoned fangs but a bony rattle 

 that often wards ofi danger. Manv animals take ad- 

 vantage of mistaken identity to escape danger; thus 

 the hog-nosed snake, or hissing adder, a harmless 

 snake, is usually let alone under the impression that 

 he belongs among the poisonous group of snakes; the 

 lizards and salamanders as a class are generally let 

 alone because of their resemblance to snakes. Some 

 insects escape because birds learn that they are not 



