_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 secreted from glands, 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 decided 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 spiny 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 pouch 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 astonishment 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 ripe for
fertilization; of how the father bird at a certain time feels he has
developed (since the fertilizing 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 envelops the little one, but remains 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 one could tell that Mrs. Pussy 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 fertilized 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 is 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 bestowed 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
simplicity 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
perfectly 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 were on the most friendly
terms. They would come to her and confide 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 calf 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 briefly 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 rambles 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 returns and the strongest bee of the
whole hive wins the queen bee, and fertilizes 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.