The Burgess Animal Book for Children

s. She didn't wait for them to ask questions. "Yesterday," said she, "I told you about your water-loving cousin, the Marsh Rabbit. You have another relative down there in the Sunny

endid swimmer and fond of the water. When he is chased

s he?" ask

he Marsh Rabbit, the hair on his feet is thin. His toes are rather long and he can spread them widely, which is a great help in swimming. He doesn't have to take to the water as his little cousin does, for he is a very good runner. But he does take t

s you told us yesterday are bigger than Jumper," added Peter. "I

y isn't big at all. He seems big to you, Peter, but if he should meet his cousin, Snow White the Arctic Hare, who lives way up in the Frozen North, I am qui

coat all year round?

," replied Old Mother Nature. "But when he lives far enough south for the snow to di

ow and ice seldom melt?" asked Peter, looking

the long winter Snow White digs down through the snow to get these. He also eats the bark and twigs of li

mper and Peter

he is found in the mountains and forests. He is sometimes called the Prairie Hare. In winter his coat is white, but in summer it is a ligh

hort as mine?" as

ty feet without half trying. Not even Old Man Coyote can catch him in a straightaway race. You think Jumper's ears are long, Peter, but they are short compared to the ears of White-tailed Jack. Not only are his ears long, but they are very big. When he squats in his form and lays his ears back they reach way over his sh

cousin as big as that," he exclaimed. "But of course if you say it is so, it

ch long hind legs, and just such great ears, but their coats are different, and they live on the great plains farther south. Some

out him," b

is a yellowish-brown and so is his throat. But his sides are white. The surprising thing about him is that he has the power of making himself seem almost wholly white. He can make the white hair spread out at will by means of some special little muscles which I have given him, so that the white of his sides at times almost seems to meet on his back. When he does this in the sun it makes flashes of white which can be seen a long way. By means of this Antelope Jack and his friends can keep track of each oth

ead. "I don't," s

ut there knows him. He isn't quite as big as Antelope Jack but still he is a big fellow. He wears a brownish coat much like

mine down," P

ugh to carry any way but up. Jack has more of a tail than you have, just as he has longer legs. My, how he can run! He goes with gr

s enemies?"

, and men," replied Old Mother Nature. "In fa

say men, you mean

e, "I mean those who hunt him for fun an

do they want to get rid of him fo

when he lives near the homes of men he gets into mischief, just as you do when you visit Farmer

eter very meekly, "but you have no idea what a temptat

this world. It has made man an enemy to Jack Rabbit. Jack just cannot keep away from the crops planted by men. His family is very large, and when a lot of them get together in a field of clover or young wheat, or in a young orchard where the bark on the trees is tender and sweet, they do so much damage that t

ature, may we come again

er Nature. "Haven't you learn

other people. If you please, I would like to come to school to you every day. You see,

-naturedly, "come again to-morrow morning. I wouldn't for

tely bade her good-by an