The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-26

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you fhghten them out Of their paos into .
eallop and keep them 1t II they soon grow
exhausted. Countless generations on tht
| far northern wastes, where there are nc
trees and no need Of jumping, have bred
this habit and modified their muscles 40
But nov o race OF caribou has moyed
south into the woods, where great trees
lie fallen ACROSS the way and where, j
MegRleep 70 in a hurry or there Is a wolf
behind him, jumping is a necessity. Still
he hoes not like II and avoids 1t whenever
The little unes, left. to themselves. would
probably never Jump. Ihave watched them
In q score Of different places, and In contrast
with the fawns OF rod deer they always
around IL. And this is another thing to
OVERCOME and another lesson TO be taught
In the caribou echool.
As | watched them the mothers all came
out from the shadows and began trotting
around the opening. The little ones fol-
lowed naturally. each keeping as close, as
possible 10 It's own mother's side. Then
the COWS went faster. the calves were left
In q long line stringlng out behind
Suddenly the leader yeered In to the
edge Of the timber and went over q fallen
tree with an easy jump. The COWS followed
the other, like choppy gray waves racing
past the end Of a jetty. But the first little
one dropped his head obstinately at the
tree and stopped short. The next one did
the same thing, only he ran his head into
the first ones legs and knocked them out
The others whirled, bleating and humping
their backs. and scampered around the
tree 20 their mothers, who had turned now
and stood Watching intently to see the effect
OF their lesson. Then 1t began again,
Il seemed to me- like true kindergarten
tQa0hinU for undar Otiiaa nj "a frnltC tho
calves we're being taught a needful lesson;
not only to jump but. far more important
than that. to follow a leader, and to 60
where he goes without question or heslta-
ton. For the leaders on the barrens,
when the snow lie deep and the wolves are
out, are wise old caribou that make no
mistakes.
Most Of the little caribou took to the sport
very well, and presently followed the
mothers over the low hurdles. A few
more were timid; and then came the most
intensely interesting bit Of the whole
strange school. when q little one would be
led to q tree and butted from behind till
he took the jump,
There was no consent Of the governed"
In that governing. TIL mother knew,
and the calf did not know. just was
good for him.
Il was this last lesson that. unfortunately.
broke up the school. Just in front OF my
hiding place q big dead stub had fallen
out Into the opening. A mother caribou
brought her calf up TO this and leaped over,
expecting the little one to follow.
AZ she struck the ground near me sne
whirled with a terrible start and stood like
a beautiful statue, her head pointing in my
direction. Her eyes we're bright and very
large, her ears set forward, her nostrils
spread wide TO catch every, tainted atom
from the air. A moment she stood. as II
carved out Of gray rock; not n muscle,
not q nerve Quivered.
Then she turned and glided silently. away
the little one close at her side, looking VI
and nudging her frequently with his muzzle
as IL 70 whisper, What is 1t? What h itp'
but making no sound whatever.
There was no signal given, no alarm OF
any kind that I could understand, but that
mysterious feeling Of danger leaped through
the air from mothers to little ones, and the
lssson stopped instantly. The caribou
glided away like shadows. Over across
the opening a bush swayed here and there
a leaf quivered as II something touched
its branch.
Then the school room was empty and the
woods all still,