2 SQUIRRELS AND OTHER FUR-BEARERS 



fall ; then, after the wind has rattled out what 

 remain, there are the mice, the chipmunks, the 

 red squirrels, the raccoons, the grouse, to say 

 nothing of the boys and the pigs, to come in for 

 their share ; so I will forestall events a little : I 

 will cut off the burrs when they have matured, 

 and a few days of this dry October weather will 

 cause every one of them to open on the ground ; 

 I shall be on hand in the nick of time to gather 

 up my nuts." The squirrel, of course, had to 

 take the chances of a prowler like myself coming 

 along, but he had fairly stolen a march on his 

 neighbors. As I proceeded to collect and open 

 the burrs, I was half prepared to hear an audible 

 protest from the trees about, for I constantly 

 fancied myself watched by shy but jealous eyes. 

 It is an interesting inquiry how the squirrel knew 

 the burrs would open if left to lie on the ground 

 a few days. Perhaps he did not know, but 

 thought the experiment worth trying. 



One reason, doubtless, why squirrels are so 

 bold and reckless in leaping through the trees is 

 that, if they miss their hold and fall, they sustain 

 no injury. Every species of tree-squirrel seems 

 to be capable of a sort of rudimentary flying, — 

 at least of making itself into a parachute, so as 

 to ease or break a fall or a leap from a great height. 



