The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1894-12-24
CHILDREN'S COLUMN.


Uncle Tom Instructs Dolly ON Some Points
Concerning Rabbits and Wolves.
"Did you ever see a rabbits ears stand
up like thati" demanded Uncle Tom, ftp
ping the oars Of toy that Dolly held In
her hand
"Yes indeedl" answered Dolly prompt
iy, pointing TO picture OF rabbit In
book that lay at her sido.
The little girl had bought pattern OF
rabbit at tho store. and with bit OF
white canton flannel and two red and
white buttons for eyes she had fashioned
q rabbit for little Ted that was rs like ~
life. Everything was finished now except
the ears, and these, daintily lined with
pink, Dolly was In the act Of putting Into
their proper places Sbo had bestowed
great care on placing thess useful Wem-
bers correctly, and for that purpose she
had hunted up the book, which she knew
contained an admirable picture Of rabbit
Initiating this picture as accurately as
possible, she had fastened one ear, setting
1t on the head In q perfectly upright posi-
tion, and now she was holding the other
to Its place on the opposite side and was
eying IL at arms length to decide II the
two were "a pair
Unclo Tom took the book and examined
the picture critically. Then, laughing, he
said:
why Dolly, the rabbit In the picture
Is sitting still, nibbling a cabbage leaf. OF
course his ears stand straight up. But
this one that you have made Is running at
full speed and just In the act Of making
O leap. A rabbit In that position should
have his ears lying back from his head al
most parallel with his body"
Does the wind blow them back as he
runsS' asked Dolly, making the alterar
tion without further question.
That" said her uncle much amused,
'is one explanation perhaps, but there Is
another, and / think better one, which
the naturalists suggest"
Turning over tho leaves OF tho picture
book, he pointed first to the picture of a
fox, then to one of wolf and then to pio-
lures Of other beasts Of prey Of various
kinds
These ANIMALS, no explained, indicat-
ing the ears Of each, ''have the ears point
ed forward as they proceed. Can you sug-
gest any reason for the difference
Dolly shook her head, but listened at
tentively
Well" continued Uncle Tom, ''you
know that the rabbit, or hare, Is very
timid animal and never attacks or pur-
sues another animal, and that 1t feeds
only on vegetab BILE diet. Whenever, there
fore, "a Is found to be In a state Of motion
the chances are that It Is fleeing from some
enemy In the rear. 1t Is TO It's interest,
then, to keep its attention steadily fixed on
sounds proceeding from that quarter. For
this purpose nature has taught IL 10 adjust
its ears, or Its ear trumpet, as the long
outside part Of the organ of hearing really
is SO as best to collect all the sound waves
and to offer tho least resistance to their
passage TO the inner organ In such po-
sition the cars would naturally be flatten-
cd back against its head syou now have
them.
Now, when a wolf goes In search Of
bis prey, his thoughts are intent on what
ls before him. He concentrates his atten-
tion on tho sounds that may lead him In
tho direction of his victim. His ear trum-
pets. therefore, are turned forward to catch
the sounds that may aid him In his chase
And so IL Is with all animals that prey
upon others. Ida S. Heidi In Philadel-
phia Times