The Burgess Animal Book for Children | Page 7

replied Old Mother Nature,
and smiled as she saw the funny look of surprise on the faces of Peter
and Jumper. "There is one way up the Frozen North and there are two
cousins way out in the Great West. They are as much bigger than
Jumper as Jumper is bigger than you, Peter. But I haven't time to tell

you about them now. If you really want to learn about them, be here
promptly at sun-up to-morrow morning. Hello! Here comes Reddy Fox,
and he looks to me as if a good breakfast would not come amiss. Let
me see what you have learned about taking care of yourselves."
Peter and Jumper gave one startled look in the direction Mother Nature
was pointing. Sure enough, there was Reddy Fox. Not far away was a
hollow log. Peter wasted no time in getting to it. In fact, he left in such
a hurry that he forgot to say good-by to Old Mother Nature. But she
didn't mind, for she quite understood Peter's feelings, and she laughed
when she saw his funny little white tail disappear inside the hollow log.
As for Jumper, he promptly took to his long legs and disappeared with
great bounds, Reddy Fox racing after him.
CHAPTER III
More of Peter's Long-Legged Cousins
At sun-up the next morning Peter Rabbit and Jumper the Hare were on
hand promptly for their next lesson. Old Mother Nature smiled as she
saw the eager curiosity shining in their eyes. 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 South who is almost as fond of the water. Some
folks call him the Swamp Rabbit. Others call him the Swamp Hare. The
latter is really the best name for him, because he is a true Hare. He lives
in swamps instead of marshes, but he is a splendid swimmer and fond
of the water. When he is chased by an enemy he makes for the nearest
point or stream."
"How big is he?" asked Jumper.
"Just about your size, Jumper," replied Old Mother Nature. "If anything,
he is a little bit heavier. But because his hair lies much smoother than
yours, you probably would look a little bit bigger if you were sitting
beside him. As with his cousin, the 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 to it as
the easiest way of getting rid of those who are chasing him. The Marsh
Rabbit and the Swamp Hare are the only members of your family in all
the Great World who are fond of the water and who are at home in it.
Now, who shall I tell you about?"
"Our biggest cousins," cried Peter and Jumper together. "The ones you
told us yesterday are bigger than Jumper," added Peter. "It is hard to
believe that there can be any much bigger than he."
Old Mother Nature's eyes twinkled. "It is often hard to believe things
you know nothing about," said she. "Compared with these other
relatives, Jumper really 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 quite sure Jumper would feel small.
Snow White looks very much like Jumper in his winter coat, for he is
all white save the tips of his ears, which are black."
"Does he wear a white coat all year round?" asked Peter eagerly.
"When he lives so far north that there is snow and ice for most of the
year, he does," replied Old Mother Nature. "But when he lives far
enough south for the snow to disappear for a little while in the summer,
he changes his white coat for one of gray."
"But how can he live so far north that the snow and ice seldom melt?"
asked Peter, looking very much puzzled. "What can he find to eat?"
"Even way up there there is moss growing under the snow. And in the
short summer other plants grow. During the long winter Snow White
digs down through the snow to get these. He also eats the bark and
twigs of little stunted trees. But big as he is, you have a cousin who is
still bigger, the biggest of all the family."
"Who is he?" Jumper and Peter cried together.
"He is called White-tailed Jack," replied Old Mother Nature. "And he
lives chiefly on