190I-1902.] The Squirrel, 283 
IV.—THE SQUIRREL, 
By Mr TOM SPEEDY. 
(Read Dec. 18, 1901.) 
_ covery for myself that squirrels nested and reared their young 
like birds in the trees. I was sitting on a wooden fence, a 
_ very short distance from the toll-house at the end of the 
_ bridge which crosses the Tweed near the village of Norham. 
_ My attention was attracted by a peculiar purring noise, and 
on looking up, I saw a squirrel on a branch about 15 feet over 
my head. I further observed what looked like a bunch of dried 
leaves out on the branch some distance from the trunk. 
Concluding that it was the nest of a bird, the desire to dis- 
_ cover what kind of nest it was quickly took possession of me. 
The tree was an elm, and as the trunk for a considerable 
distance up was branchless, to climb it was impossible. The 
_ following day I again repaired to the spot, and again saw a 
squirrel on the tree, yet it never dawned on me that the 
bunch of leaves would be a squirrel’s nest. Divulging my 
secret to a school companion, he seemed as anxious as I was to 
ascertain what bird the nest belonged to. We threw stones, 
but could see no bird fly from it. We, however, hit on a 
plan by which we hoped to be able to scale the tree. A 
ladder was stolen from a farm-steading half a mile distant, and 
by placing it against the trunk I found that the branches 
could be reached. I at once ascended, and soon got out on 
the branch which contained the coveted nest. I then found, 
however, that it would be difficult to reach the nest, as the 
branch bent beneath my weight. Taunted by my companion 
below with being “feared,” I endeavoured to proceed, but, 
losing my balance, I fell from the branch, though I hung for 
_ some seconds by my hands. My struggles caused such a 
_ vibration on the branch that two young squirrels, in attempt- 
_ ing to escape from the nest, fell to the ground, and almost 
simultaneously I dropped also. I landed on my feet, but fell 
_ heavily, and was considerably bruised. However, to be half 
