Sam Galati, age 13, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, for his question.
How did the cotton tail get its name?
You could solve this problem in a minute if you followed a cottontail hop‑hopping down his trail. His stubby tail is lined with white fur and he carries it coiled over his back. He seems to have a tuft of snow white cotton where his tail should be. Some people try to explain why the timid cottontail wears this conspicuous white pom‑pom. They say it is to help the baby bunnies follow Mamma through the long grass.
This may or may not be true. The cottontail is usually one of the most timid of creatures and we might just as well say that the white tail is a flag of truce, He hopes with all his little heart that you will not chase him.
The experts tell us that the cottontail is not a true rabbit, nor is he a true hare. They tell us what he isn't, but as far as Andy knows, they do not tell us what he is. In this case we can use our own judgment and call him a bunny. This term no expert can dispute.
The cottontail bunny has made himself at home all over the United States and way south of the Rio Grande. Some experts count 27 varieties, classed chiefly on differences of color.
The average cottontail is about 15 inches long. His ears are long and always alert and he travels with bunny hops. His ears and legs are shorter than those of the true hare or rabbit. His soft furry coat is a pleasing mixture of grays, rusts and browns on head and back. On his underside, the fur is quite pale and the underside of his cottontail is, of course, snow white.
The cottontail has one of the prettiest faces that you are likely to meet in the wild. His large brown eyes are edged with white and his expression is a blend of curiosity, wonder, friendliness and timidity.
In character, he is very timid, and with good reason, lie has a great many enemies, always ready to pounce.
The cottontail himself is a vegetarian. His diet includes bark, leaves, grasses and berries of all sorts. He is a great gadabout because he is usually hungry, especially in the winter. He does not hibernate.
The babies are born naked, helpless and blind. Mama may hide them in a burrow deserted by some other animal or she may place them in a hollow on the ground. In any case, she will line their nest with tufts of her own soft fur. She visits them only at night. When she leaves them, she hides them under a blanket of grass and bits of fur.
In two weeks, the five or six youngsters are playful balls of fur, all ready to explore the neighborhood. Mama may bring up three or four litters during the summer. She may have 24 children a year,