Only through intimate acquaintance may understanding of the animals in their relations to each other and to man be attained. To serve as a medium for this purpose this book has been written. As such I offer it to the children of America, conscious of its shortcomings yet hopeful that it will prove of some value in acquainting them with their friends and mine--the animals of field and wood, of mountain and desert, in the truest sense the first citizens of America. THORNTON W. BURGESS CONTENTS CHAPTER I JENNY WREN GIVES PETER RABBIT AN IDEA Peter arranges to go to school to Old Mother Nature. II PETER AND JUMPER GO TO SCHOOL The Cottontail Rabbit, Northern Hare and Marsh Rabbit. III MORE OF PETER'S LONG-LEGGED COUSINS The Swamp Hare, Arctic Hare, Prairie Hare, Antelope Jack and common Jack Rabbit. IV CHATTERER AND HAPPY JACK JOIN The Squirrel family and order of Rodents. V THE SQUIRRELS OF THE TREES The Red, Gray, Fox, Kaibab and Abert Squirrels. VI STRIPED CHIPMUNK AND HIS COUSINS The Chipmunk, Spermophiles, and Flying Squirrel. VII JOHNNY CHUCK JOINS THE CLASS The Woodchuck and his ways. VIII WHISTLER AND YAP YAP The Whistling or Hoary Marmot and Prairie Dogs. IX TWO QUEER LITTLE HAYMAKERS The Pika or Cony and the Mountain Beaver or Sewellel. X PRICKLY PORKY AND GRUBBY GOPHER Introducing the Porcupine and Pocket Gopher. XI A FELLOW WITH A THOUSAND SPEARS More about the Porcupine. XII A LUMBERMAN AND ENGINEER The Beaver and his works. XIII A WORKER AND A ROBBER The Muskrat and the Brown or Norway Rat. XIV A TRADER AND A HANDSOME FELLOW The Cotton Rat, Wood or Pack Rat and the Kangaroo Rat. XV TWO UNLIKE LITTLE COUSINS Whitefoot the Wood or Deer Mouse and Danny Meadow Mouse, also called Field Mouse. XVI DANNY'S NORTHERN COUSINS, AND NIMBLEHEELS The Banded and Brown Lemmings and the Jumping Mouse. XVII THREE LITTLE REDCOATS AND SOME OTHERS The Pine Mouse, Red-backed Mouse, Rufous Tree Mouse, Rock Mouse and Beach Mouse. XVIII MICE WITH POCKETS, AND OTHERS The Silky and Spiny Pocket Mice, Grasshopper Mouse, Harvest Mouse and House Mouse. XIX TEENY WEENY AND HIS COUSIN The Common or Long-tailed Shrew or Shrew Mouse, Short-tailed Shrew or Mole Shrew and Marsh or Water Shrew. XX FOUR BUSY LITTLE MINERS The Common Mole, Brewer's or Hairy-tailed Mole, Oregon Mole and Star-nosed Mole. XXI FLITTER THE BAT AND HIS FAMILY The Red Bat, Little Brown or Cave Bat, Big Brown or House Bat, Silvery Bat, Hoary Bat and Big-eared Bat.