Chapter VI. The Mammals and Their Children.

The first question one of the boys asked was, “What is a mammal?” It was explained to the children that a mammal is an animal with a hairy covering, who breathes with lungs, and has warm or quick circulating blood. They have little ones, which when born are not in the form of eggs, like the frogs or birds, but have the same shape as their parents, though smaller and weaker. The mother mammal nurses these little ones with milk secreted¹ from glands², called mammary glands. And that is why they are called “mammals.”

Their instincts are highly developed, and they are considered the highest animals.

Many instances were shown them of the meaning of instinct, as that of the mother bird turning over her eggs every day. In fact, from the first the word was explained in every stage to enable them to know the difference between instinct and reason later on.

There was no one creature taken up this time, but all together, and some pictures were shown them of lower tribes of man, and it was 41decided that man must be classed with the mammals, for he is partly covered with hair, gives birth to young in his own shape, and feeds the young from mammary glands. They were told that there is a mammal, the spiny³ ant eater, covered with hair, which, however, lays eggs like the birds in nests. They were told about the kangaroo and opossum, who give birth to their little ones very early, and carry them in a pouch⁴ until they are able to help themselves. As soon as the little opossum is born, Mother Opossum picks him up in her mouth and places him in her pouch, where he sucks away at the milk which is secreted there, until he is strong and able to get food for himself—which is about the same length of time that other mammals carry their young before giving birth to them.

They were told of the bats and the flying squirrels. They were told that Bobby’s cat must be given a new clean box, or bed; that she must not be handled roughly or chased, because she was going to have little kittens. To the utter astonishment⁵ of Bobby’s mother there was a chorus of, “How do you know?” and she realized that she might have omitted a most important piece of information.

They were again reminded of the birds and the undeveloped eggs coming from the ovary of mother bird, which at a certain time become 42ripe for fertilization; of how the father bird at a certain time feels he has developed (since the fertilizing⁶ principle within him has developed) so that in coming in contact with the undeveloped egg within the mother’s body, these are quickened into life. The same process goes on with the mammals, but as the instinct becomes more developed as they go higher in the scale of life breeding becomes more complex.

They were told that where in birds the whole egg, shell and all passes out of the mother’s body into the nest, with the mammal the shell becomes a thin skin, which envelops⁷ the little one, but remains⁸ within the mother’s body until it is grown enough and strong enough to live on the milk from the mother. While it is within the mother’s body it is fed from the blood of the mother, and all the food she eats helps to make the little ones within her strong.

It is of great assistance for a mother to have some knowledge of the processes of assimilation so that the children will learn how the food products in the blood, instead of supplying the mother, go to the child to build up bone, muscle, nerves and tissues.

They were told that as the mammal grows and develops within the body of the mother her shape becomes changed—becomes larger in the region where the new life lies, and that is how 43one could tell that Mrs. Pussy⁹ Cat was going to have a family.

It was dwelt upon at great length that it was necessary to know this, because every mother needs protection from worry, excitement, cruelty, overwork, starvation at such a period; that she needed kindness, rest, good food, sunshine, in order that she give the little ones strength and health.

They were told that in smaller animals many more eggs develop at a time and are fertilized¹⁰ but in the larger animals such as cows, horses, elephants, etc., only one egg develops and one animal is born. In man, too, this is true. One egg develops at a time, and if it is fertilized it remains in its little nest (or uterus), and grows until it is ready to stand the changed conditions into which it must come after it is born. If it is not fertilized it passes on out of the body and is lost, but when it is fertilized by the father, it remains in the uterus and grows until it is grown enough to withstand a different life and different surroundings.

At first the new being is only the size of a pea (that is, in a week after it is fertilized). In a few weeks (eight) it is the size of a lemon, and its shape is complete. In four months it begins to move about, to kick, to move its little hands, and in nine months Mother Nature can develop it no more. It is time to change, if it 44is to live, so she sends it along the passage, enlarging the passage and stretching it as it goes—which causes much pain and suffering to the mother, until it reaches the outside world, where it is taken and cared for and loved, and all the mother’s pain is forgotten in the joy of having her little one alive and strong and well.

One of the mothers was expecting the arrival of a little one, and great care and tenderness was shown her after the children knew of this event. She was assisted up the hills, brought flowers and all the tenderness of which children are capable was bestowed¹¹ upon her.

They anxiously watched and waited for its arrival, looked over the small clothing which was being prepared for it, and seemed as interested as any grown-up could ever be.

The most interesting questions were asked her each day. At first the young mother was rather embarrassed, but they were asked with such simplicity¹² and frankness that she realized the prudery was in herself alone, she soon entered the talks and answered their questions. These were mainly of the little one’s movements, etc. Can it see? said one. Does it kick? said another. Does it like ice cream? etc., etc., all perfectly¹³ innocent questions which can be answered, and makes the reproductive act the natural and beautiful part of life that it really is. Soon the young mother and the children 45were on the most friendly terms. They would come to her and confide¹⁴ their secrets to her, tell her words other boys had used and asked her about these words. They came to her in preference to telling their parents, which shows again the necessity of every mother being the first one to tell the child this sex knowledge, for the one who does tell it usually holds a strong influence over the child for some years to come.

They were taken to a farm some miles away to see a calf¹⁵ a few days old. Stories were read to them at this time about the habits of these animals and the care of their young. They were taken to the Museum of Natural History in New York and to Bronx Park, and such excursions were red letter days in their book of childhood.

They were told of the freedom of the animals in choosing their mates—that beauty and strength seemed the greatest qualifications. The story of the bees was briefly¹⁶ told. How the queen bee leaves her home amidst the hundreds of male bees who are all anxious to be the father of the future hive. How she rambles¹⁷ about for a little while, then up she flies—up, up, straight into the clouds with hundreds of male bees following. Gradually the weakest bees drop off and return, but the stronger ones still follow until there are often only two male bees left in the race. The weaker of the two 46returns and the strongest bee of the whole hive wins the queen bee, and fertilizes¹⁸ the eggs within her body. After this act of reproduction he dies, and Mrs. Bee returns to her hive and lays thousands of bee eggs. The strongest gave his life that the future bees should be given his great strength.

The children were sad about this. They wanted the strongest to live, and it was now the place to teach them of their own bodies, what cleanliness and strength means to the future race of man.

To give the children an idea of the shape of the uterus, Bobby’s mother took a pear, turned the large side up, letting the stem part hang down, it was then cut open lengthwise, the seeds, core and stem removed. Both halves were fastened together again with thin sticks just to get an idea of the shape of the baby’s nest.

The part where the stem was is like the passage where the little one comes out into the world after the seeds have grown.

1 secreted   

v.（尤指动物或植物器官）分泌( secrete的过去式和过去分词 )；隐匿，隐藏

参考例句：

• Insulin is secreted by the pancreas. 胰岛素是胰腺分泌的。
• He secreted his winnings in a drawer. 他把赢来的钱藏在抽届里。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 glands   

n.腺( gland的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• a snake's poison glands 蛇的毒腺
• the sebaceous glands in the skin 皮脂腺

3 spiny   

adj.多刺的，刺状的；n.多刺的东西

参考例句：

• This is the Asiatic ornamental shrub with spiny branches and pink blossoms.这就是亚洲的一种观赏灌木，具有多刺的枝和粉红色的花。
• Stay away from a spiny cactus.远离多刺仙人掌。

4 pouch   

n.小袋，小包，囊状袋；vt.装...入袋中，用袋运输；vi.用袋送信件

参考例句：

• He was going to make a tobacco pouch out of them. 他要用它们缝制一个烟草袋。
• The old man is always carrying a tobacco pouch with him.这老汉总是随身带着烟袋。

5 astonishment   

n.惊奇，惊异

参考例句：

• They heard him give a loud shout of astonishment.他们听见他惊奇地大叫一声。
• I was filled with astonishment at her strange action.我对她的奇怪举动不胜惊异。

6 fertilizing   

v.施肥( fertilize的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Sometimes the preliminary step must be taken of reducing weed population before fertilizing. 有时候，在施肥之前，必须采取减少杂草密度的预备性步骤。 来自辞典例句
• The self fertilizing garden can also be planted in raised beds. 自我施肥的菜园也可以在苗圃床中种植。 来自互联网

7 envelops   

v.包围，笼罩，包住( envelop的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• He glued many envelops yesterday. 他昨天用胶粘了许多信封。 来自辞典例句
• Ask your friends or mother and father to save used envelops for you. 让你的朋友或父母为你留下用过的信封。 来自英语晨读30分（高二）

8 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

9 pussy   

n.(儿语)小猫，猫咪

参考例句：

• Why can't they leave my pussy alone?为什么他们就不能离我小猫咪远一点？
• The baby was playing with his pussy.孩子正和他的猫嬉戏。

10 Fertilized   

v.施肥( fertilize的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The study of psychology has recently been widely cross-fertilized by new discoveries in genetics. 心理学研究最近从遗传学的新发现中受益匪浅。
• Flowers are often fertilized by bees as they gather nectar. 花常在蜜蜂采蜜时受粉。

11 bestowed   

赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It was a title bestowed upon him by the king. 那是国王赐给他的头衔。
• He considered himself unworthy of the honour they had bestowed on him. 他认为自己不配得到大家赋予他的荣誉。

12 simplicity   

n.简单，简易；朴素；直率，单纯

参考例句：

• She dressed with elegant simplicity.她穿着朴素高雅。
• The beauty of this plan is its simplicity.简明扼要是这个计划的一大特点。

13 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

14 confide   

v.向某人吐露秘密

参考例句：

• I would never readily confide in anybody.我从不轻易向人吐露秘密。
• He is going to confide the secrets of his heart to us.他将向我们吐露他心里的秘密。

15 calf   

n.小牛，犊，幼仔，小牛皮

参考例句：

• The cow slinked its calf.那头母牛早产了一头小牛犊。
• The calf blared for its mother.牛犊哞哞地高声叫喊找妈妈。

16 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

17 rambles   

（无目的地）漫游( ramble的第三人称单数 )； （喻）漫谈； 扯淡； 长篇大论

参考例句：

• He rambles in his talk. 他谈话时漫无中心。
• You will have such nice rambles on the moors. 你可以在旷野里好好地溜达溜达。

18 fertilizes   

n.施肥( fertilize的名词复数 )v.施肥( fertilize的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The male sperm fertilizes the female egg. 雄性的精子使雌性的卵子受精。 来自辞典例句
• When the male reproductive cell fertilizes the female reproductive cell a zygote is formed. 当男性生殖细胞与女性生殖细胞发生受精时，就形成了一个合子。 来自辞典例句