Evening star., 1947-12-30
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TraceUell
BETHESDA, Md.

4A211oDA, NAN'
Dear Sir:
Habit among the animals has always in
terested me. Recently I noticed that a squir-
REL quite an ordinary-looking squirrel, has
evolved a path for himself somewhat out Of
the ordinary
Instead of running along the ground, after
coming across the street, he makes for himself
a path out of an evergreen, the sunporch roof,
and lilac.
HE takes this route every time. I have
never seen him go along the ground, as any
one would suppose he would do.
IT know that squirrels like it aloft, but I
cannot see just why he never varies his path,
but takes this route every time.
Can you explain? VERY truly, E. c."
~ Il X
Chance and scent account for this.
The animal did 1t the first time just as a
lark, and thereafter he was able to smell
himself
That is the whole Of the mystery.
Not much of mystery, Of course; but OF
such small matters are the mysteries OF nature
built
Life Is, in essence, a mysterious affair.
One moment, an animal is alive, vibrant,
warm, happy-the next minute careless and
Indifferent motorist passes over 1t, and it Is a
crushed and broken thing, from which the
mystery Of life already has departed.
But aside from the basic mystery, as yet un-
solved, and probably never to be, the doings,
the conings and the goings Of the animals
are spanked by perfectly natural happenings.
Whenever an animal does anything that
smacks of the mysterious, an observer may be
sure that the road to solution Is common
one much worn and travelled.
The habit-forning power of the animals
is as great as our own. Man forms habits
easily, and many Of them are good.
The methodical person, who goes to bed at
the usual time, gets up at the proper hour-for
hinl-and goes down town so that the neigh
bors can set their clocks by him, has evolved
one Of the ways Of living. For him 1t per-
haps Is the best way. This does not mean
that such methodcity would be good for all
persons, although he often suspects that it
would.
Among the four-legged folk, habit is power
full too. 1t is aided for them by scent, finding
their own or friends tracks The scent OF
enemies too, plays part in their lives. But
here the animal is not helped so much, since
he must see to believe.
Our old saying, Seeing is believing" evolves
directly from the animal world.
The wild animal, or even the free domestic
one, meets so many scents, as he goes around,
that he must see or hear to believe what he
smells
Not for him are the ways of men, who have
built up whole book of experiences into
which they. may dip at will, if wise. 0Iow
often they are not wiseD
The animal has another sort of book, the
collection Of instructive actions OF which he is
master This book is in him. He is, in TRUTH
the very book itself. His coat is its binding;
the spring of his muscles the leaves, and the
type-here the divine printer has outdone him.
self. It is a book, however, in which mankind,
with its superior intelligence yet reads rather
hesitatingly.
1t is possible for the city or suburban dweller
to try a tentative chapter in this book by
watching the actions Of dogs as they go their
regular rounds in the morning, on first being
let out of the house.
Every dog has built up his route, and along
this he goes with unerring aim knowing full
well every sign and mark. This invisible
path is highlighted for him by instructions
whispered from away back before the first
dawn.
These orderly habits Of the animals are a
safeguard to them, in the main; the squirrel
that goes aloft by way Of the evergreen the
porch and the lilac is not capricious. but is
very wise. He takes a safe path, while at the
same time he enjoys life Just little more.
Such . course, It would seem, should be called
wise, In any language.