Chambers's Elementary Science Readers Part 21

4. But for puss there would soon be so many mice that we should not know what to do.

_Write and learn:_

Mice have-- Long tails.

Sharp teeth.

Large ears.

Bright eyes.

Mice like-- Bread.

Meat.

Cheese.

Milk.

Mice are-- Very small.

Very timid.

Very quick.

Very quiet.

THE RABBIT. [_Page 41._

1. The rabbit is about the size of the cat, and is covered with short fur. It burrows a hole in the ground and makes a nest there for its young.

2. Rabbits have long ears and large eyes. They can hear a very slight sound, and can see _behind_ as well as before them.

3. Their hind-legs are longer than their fore-legs; so they do not run, but leap.

4. Rabbits like to live where there is plenty of furze, which they eat for food. They do much mischief in corn-fields by eating the young corn.

They also eat the bark off young trees, and so spoil them.

_Write and learn:_

Rabbits have-- Long ears.

Large eyes.

Long hind-legs.

Warm fur.

Rabbits eat-- Gra.s.s.

Roots.

Leaves.

Bark.

Rabbits-- Burrow.

Make nests for their young.

Leap.

Play.

IVY. [_Page 43._

1. Ivy is an evergreen, climbing plant. It grows on old walls, houses, and churches, and sometimes on trees.

2. There are several kinds of ivy. The leaves of each kind are of a different shape. All ivy leaves are very pretty.

3. The leaves have little marks called veins, crossing them in all ways.

These veins are full of sap, or moisture, which the roots of the plant suck up from the earth.

4. Some ivy flowers, and bears berries.

_Write and learn:_

Ivy is-- An evergreen.

A climber.

Ivy has-- Different forms of leaf.

Many veins.

Ivy grows-- On old buildings.

Sometimes round trees.

A TREE. [_Page 47._

1. There are many kinds of trees. The oak, elm, and beech are very common.

2. Trees have roots, trunks, branches, leaves, and often flowers and fruit. The brown covering of the trunk is called bark. This keeps the tree warm and dry.

3. Their leaves fall off in autumn, except those of evergreens like the holly and the laurel.

4. Trees are both beautiful and useful. They provide us with timber and firewood, and give shade and shelter to our houses and gardens.

_Write and learn:_

Trees have-- Roots.

Branches.

Leaves.

Trees-- Shed leaves.

Live long.