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HOW TO UNDERSTAND ANIMAL TALK by Vinson Brown

HOW TO UNDERSTAND ANIMAL TALK

By

Pub Date: March 10th, 1958
Publisher: Little, Brown

Vinson Brown is an explorer naturalist, with several earlier juveniles on natural science to his credit. Probably the experiences he has had as a camp nature counselor have strengthened his empathy for children's interests. His observations on animal communications with others of their kind and with humans range from the familiar dogs, cats and birds, to insects and wild life. The mating cries and dances of several species are covered here and instances of the maternal attitudes in wild life are noted. Under the broad title of the book comes much minutia -- the mother rabbit, who pulls out her fur to warm her newly born young -- the intricate flight pattern executed by bees to teach other members of the hive the distance and angle of a new nectar stores in relation to the sun's position. Conceivably this could be considered for remedial reading purposes for the younger child who does not like to read, but is engrossed in the habits of natural creatures. In conservative quarters, material on courtship in the animal world might be considered too forthright, though we consider it inoffensive.