369 



CHAPTER OF VARIETIES. 



INLAND GULLS. Is it not unusual to find a gull so far inland as the 

 neighbourhood of London ? I was surprised last night in passing by 

 the Serpentine to observe one floating on the surface, and sailing about 

 in the air uttering its wild scream, just as when hovering over its sea- 

 girt cliffs. Do you imagine that it was a tame one escaped from some 

 private garden, or that it was driven inland by this tremendous gale we 

 have just experienced. If you think the circumstance worth recording, 

 you will perhaps notice it in your magazine. 



I shall take this opportunity of sending you a few remarks on the 

 habits of one of my companions, a squirrel, which I have hitherto 

 delayed, from supposing that everything must be known with regard to 

 so familiar an animal that is worth knowing, or putting into print. If 

 in this account, you find anything new or of interest enough for your 

 excellent magazine, so much the more shall I be pleased; I have had 

 him for a year, and have brought him up almost from the nest, and a 

 tamer creature it would be impossible to find. This squirrel shows 

 a decided preference for warm places, either getting into my lap, 

 under the bed-clothes, or (if allowed) contriving to creep into my 

 pocket, where he will remain till disturbed. He is apparently very 

 indifferent about mere exercise, frequently remaining in his cage the 

 whole day, though this is not constant, for I have seen him out for 

 several hours, and then his chief amusement seems to consist in running 

 up and down a pair of steps, or other lofty thing in the room ; moving 

 like a pendulum in his cage ; at intervals darting rapidly out of the 

 door, and back again to repeat the motion ; in climbing up to the heads 

 of any persons in the apartment ; in scratching himself almost inces- 

 santly (when uncaged) ; in hiding his food ; in patting the table or 

 other flat surface with his claws, which is done with a sudden twist of 

 the body, at the same time making a sound which may be perfectly 

 imitated by withdrawing the tongue suddenly from the roof of the 

 mouth ; the call-note, I suppose, among squirrels. He sits up also 

 and rubs his face with his fore-paws, seemingly with the intention of 

 cleaning it. After eating he rubs his nose against the carpet, first on 

 one side, and then on the other ; hiding what he cannot eat in some 

 corner of the room, or under the edge of the carpet, and pushing it with 



