Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 2.djvu/158

146 lap. Her first act was to poke her nose at the coffee-urn. This evoked a squeak of pain. It was supposed that she had had enough. Not quite. Her next essay was on a cup of hot coffee, with a similar result. She now smelt the contents of the sugar-bowl. This discovery so excited that "sweet will" of hers that instant removal became imperative. Later in the day she tried to capture a wasp. She struck it down, and held it a second under her foot. This was met by an appeal addressed solely to her understanding, of so pointed a nature as made her chatter with distress. Disabled in one wing, the insect could not fly away. Although still smarting from the wounded foot, the moral of the lesson is only half learned. Coati cannot give "little yellow-jacket" up. So she tries the wasp again—this time with her nose. Alas, that sting! Miss Nasua now finds that other little folks, besides herself, can utilize their tails; for, in proof of this, she receives



not merely a duplicated, but an intensified experience, such as exacts a staccato outgush of agony, of truly simian expression. We can recall but one lesson which she took sincerely to heart. The old cow was quietly ruminating near the house. With her usual temerity, for she was always ready to "go it blind," Coati made an attempt to climb one of Cushie's legs. The cow raised her foot to shake the annoyance off, and in setting it down she put her hoof on Nasua's tail, and there standing, gravely ruminating, held her fast to the ground. Her rapid, chattering cry brought one of the ladies to her rescue. The tail was very badly hurt. Ever after, between Coati and Cushie, a respectful distance was maintained.

We now call attention to one of the most interesting facts in modern zoology. Agassiz pointed out, with much precision, the