204 The Squirrel as a Pet. [Sess. — | 
armed with powers to disturb the peace of the king. Every 
creature has a plague in the shape of a parasite, some creatures 
have several, and it seems strange that Nature should have — 
arranged it so. 
At the meeting of Dec. 18, 1901, Dr Watson delivered — 
a short address on Common Fungi; and on the evening of — 
Jan. 22, 1902, made some further remarks on the same — 
subject, with the help of lantern diagrams. 
Vi—THH SQUIERZEL: AS A PHT. 
By Dr W. AITCHISON ROBERTSON. ; 
(Read Jan. 22, 1902.) 
I must first apologise for troubling you with a subject which ~ 
you had so recently before you as last meeting. Imperative 
absence in the South of England prevented me, however, from — 
being with you on that occasion, else you had been spared the — 
present communication. I have been able to ascertain the 
views of Mr Speedy only from the notice which appeared in ~ 
the ‘Scotsman’ and from what my friends have told me. 
From what I gather, however, I think Mr Speedy views the — 
squirrel as an enemy, and one would hardly take the opinion 
of such regarding his foe as a trustworthy estimate. I should 
think that the views of one who did not regard them as 
enemies to be exterminated would convey a more just esti- 
mate than the views of one who was inimically inclined 
towards them. Tt was stated that squirrels were “stupid | 
creatures.” Doubtless this is correct if one takes for com- — 
parison a city financier, or even a first class chef. But I 
deny entirely that the squirrel is, compared with other 
animals, stupid. The very reverse is true. Timid and ~ 
nervous to a degree he certainly is, but to apply the term ¥ 
“stupid” to him is absurd. I have in my time kept many ~ 
pets and watched the habits of many animals, and I can assert, i 
