33 

 OUR SQUIRRELS. 



By J. Ballantyne. 



{Bead 1st March, 1S8S.) 



As has already been announced, I have undertaken to read a short 

 ])aper concerning the squirrels which are to be seen, more or less 

 frequently, in the neighborhood of Ottawa. When I undertook to do 

 so I was well aware of the fact that the Ottawa Field Naturalists' 

 Club held in its membership a number of persons who were, perhaps, 

 better acquainted with the subject than T was myself, and were conse- 

 quently better fitted to speak about it. From an anatomical point of 

 view, I know very little about them. My observations have been of a 

 verd casual kind, and have been restricted to their outward appearance 

 and some of their habits. As, however, what I have to say is from 

 personal observation, it may possibly be of some interest to those 

 ])ersons who, for want of opportunities or from other causes, have paid 

 even less attention to the study of the wild animals existing round 

 about us than I have myself. From my own experience I am sure that 

 much can be added to the enjoyment of life by cultivating the acquaint- 

 ance and getting ourselves on a friendly footing with many of our wild 

 neighbors.' IMost of them quickly respond to kind treatment and 

 manifest their confidence and trust in various ways ; among some of our 

 birds this pleasing trait is very marked. As an instance, I may say 

 that we have had three different kinds of wild birds build their nests 

 and bring out their young, at the same time, within a few feet of each 

 other all under our verandah, and almost within reach from a door which 

 we were constantly using. Some of them came into the house quite 

 frequently, and showed very little fear. We took a great deal of 

 l)leasure in watching them in their nest-building and rearing of their 

 young. The birds were not the only animals whose company we enjoyed. 

 We derived no little pleasure from seeing about, the clean, active and 

 graceful little rodents which are the subject of this paper. 



Before attempting to describe the different Squirrels seen in this 

 vicinity, it may be well in the first place to outline, in a general way 



