Destruction by Natural Enemies 29 



homes of birds. Such destruction has been 

 seen by many other naturalists, some of whom 

 have seen red squirrels bite off the heads of young 

 birds and eat out the brains as they would eat 

 the meat out of a nut. 



Gray squirrels as a rule are not so destructive, 

 but there is positive proof that some of them at 

 least destroy birds' nests, and when they become 

 numerous in a particular locality and when other 

 food becomes scarce, probably they do not hesi- 

 tate to eat either eggs or nestlings. 



Chipmunks often destroy the nests of birds 

 which build on or near the ground or in artificial 

 arbors, and have been seen carrying off young 

 birds in their mouths. Usually they do not 

 climb enough to disturb birds which make their 

 homes in trees. 



Flying squirrels are gentle little creatures 

 which probably seldom if ever destroy eggs or 

 young birds, though they often make their homes 

 in deserted birds' nests, in hollow trees, and even 

 in nest boxes. 



Muskrats are said to eat the eggs of birds 

 nesting near water and in the marshes, but 

 though I have lived where muskrats were plenti- 

 ful, I have never seen any evidence of it. 



That common rats are often very destructive 

 to the eggs and young of domestic poultry is 



