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he kept a Eed Squirrel in confinemenb for upwards of two years and fed 

 it exclusively on animal food, and that it became quite fat and glossy in 

 its coat, and showed every sign of perfect health. T have frequently 

 seen them eating the eggs of l)irds in my ovvn place. Tiiis habit is a 

 serious one, as no nests are safe if 8quii'rels are about. I must say that 

 I like the feathered songsters of the spring so well that if it comes to a 

 matter of choice between them and the Squirrels, I tliink the latter 

 will have to go. My attention has been called to an article in " Science 

 Gossip" for the year 187."5, where it is stited that in one of the large 

 parks in the City of Philadelphia the Squirrels became so destructive 

 of the eggs of the wild birds (there nesting) that, in order to save the 

 birds, it was found necessary to destioy the Squirrels. 



Many people suppose that Squirrels are very much averse to water 

 and will never voluntarily tike to it. It is not uncommon to read of 

 them -when compelled to cross a stream making rafts of chips or 

 pieces of bark and getting on hoard, hoi-t their tails so that they will 

 catch the wind, and so manage to secure a dry passage across ; of course 

 they select a time when the wind is blowing from the right direction. 

 These are pretty stories and quite complimentary to the intelligence of 

 the little navigators. T am afraid, however, that the important element 

 of truth is a missing factor. At one of the Club excursions to Meech's 

 Lake as I was sitting on a rock near its outlet, about fifty or sixty feet 

 from where a bridge spans it, a Red Squirrel came jumping along, and 

 without a moment's hesitation, plunged into the water and swam across. 

 It was evidently a matter of choice as it could easily have crossed by 

 the bridge. 



The Chipmunk or Ground Squirrel is not of the same genus as 

 the Red Squirrel, but as it is far more common in the Ottawa district 

 than the others which are to follow, I will take it up before them. The 

 Chipmunk is smaller in size than the Red Squirrel, a full grown one 

 being about seven inches long, including the head and body ; the tail 

 without the fur, is about four inches long. It is easily distinguished 

 from the other Squirrels inhabiting this part ot Canada by the maikino-s 

 along its body, there being always five -dark longitudinal and parallel 

 stfipss extending from the head to the rump, the spaces between being 

 of a lightish grey. The rum]; is of a bright tawny color ; all the under 



