THE GREY SQUIRREL 



the branches in a few moments. These Squirrels 

 make nests of twigs and leaves in the forks of the 

 higher branches of the large trees. 



There are a number of local races of Grey 

 Squirrels, and each varies more or less from the 

 other in colour, but the description of those in and 

 about Cape Town is as follows : 



Body larger than that of the European Squirrel ; 

 grey above and white on the under parts, the line 

 of demarcation being very pronounced ; tail long 

 and bushy, grey in colour, mixed with white and 

 rufous ; head and limbs tinged with rufous ; each eye 

 is encircled by a whitish ring ; the ears are rather 

 small, and there are no ear tufts. 



The Grey Squirrel shows little fear of man and 

 exposes itself freely. It is alert in the trees or on 

 the ground from early morning to sunset, and on 

 moonlight nights it may be seen and heard abroad, 

 for it is a noisy little animal, chattering and mutter- 

 ing continuously. It excavates burrows beneath old 

 fallen logs, piles of brushwood or timber, makes its 

 home in a burrow in the earth, or digs the decayed 

 wood out of old tree-trunks and makes its lair 

 therein. The Grey Squirrel is one of the hardiest 

 of the family. It thrives equally well in cold or 

 warm climates. In regions in North America where 

 the winters are almost Arctic this little Squirrel 

 may be seen abroad on the snow as merry as a 

 cricket. The Grey Squirrel is very fond of fruit. 

 It also does a great deal of harm in devouring 



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