Stories about the Instinct of Animals, Their Characters, and Habits

Uncle Thomas gathers his young listeners for stories about horses, beavers, elephants, cats and other animals. Thomas Bingley presents animal behaviour through conversations in which the boys ask questions and their storyteller supplies anecdotes. The opening describes wild horse herds on the South American plains, their capture with a lasso, and the close bond between an Arabian owner and his mare. These accounts connect curiosity about animals with lessons in kindness and good treatment.

Later chapters turn to nest building, migration and maternal affection. In the middle excerpt, a cat shares food with a dog, prompting a discussion of how animals communicate. Uncle Thomas then introduces the lion story of Androcles, explicitly distinguishing fiction from accounts he considers true. Readers interested in older children's nature books will find a mixture of animal lore, moral teaching and religious explanations of instinct, carried by the familiar rhythm of storytelling and conversation.