[Illustration: BROWN OR ALPINE BEARS.] ------------------------------------------------------------------------ A Natural History for Young People ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Our Animal Friends IN THEIR Native Homes INCLUDING MAMMALS, BIRDS and FISHES BY MRS. PHEBE WESTCOTT HUMPHREYS -------------- Over One Hundred and Fifty Illustrations, including Colored Plates, Half-Tones and Wood Engravings -------------- Copyright 1900 By PHEBE WESTCOTT HUMPHREYS PREFACE. This little Volume of Natural History has been prepared to fill a long-felt want. As a child the author was especially interested in the study of animals, but met with the usual drawback—nothing could be found in classified form to meet the requirements of young people, not yet old enough to take up a college course of study. Natural Histories abounded in every form and in every language, there were scientific works in plenty, and numerous books for children, from the fairy tales founded on animal life to the usual descriptive matter accompanying profuse illustrations in childish books; but nothing could be found in which the Mammals, Birds and Fishes, were carefully classified and arranged in the proper families, and the whole in words of easy reading—discarding unnecessary scientific words and phrases, and carefully explaining the necessary ones. It was not until later in school life, when a certain knowledge of Greek and Latin became necessary in the college-preparatory course that these scientific works could be really enjoyed. And the author of this little volume—who was then preparing her first literary efforts in the intervals of school work—resolved that one of her earliest books should be a carefully arranged Natural History for Young People, in which all the desires of her own childhood should be realized.