298 The Squirrel as a Pet. [Sess. 
food, as a lump of sugar or a crust of bread, he seats himself 
either on one’s shoulders or wrists to eat it. Having eaten as 
much as he feels inclined to, he shoves the remainder down 
one’s neck between the collar and the skin, and pushes it well 
down with his hands. This proceeding is not altogether a 
pleasant one, especially when the choice morsel happens to be 
a piece of moist pastry or a strawberry. When he wishes 
some special article of food he nibbles gently at one’s finger 
until it is given to him, and will refuse every other kind but 
that one on which he has set his heart. He is exceedingly 
fond of our society (although very shy of strangers), and waits 
for our return on some chair near the door ready to jump on 
us when we enter, when he greets us with many happy little 
noises and gambols around us. When any of the cats disturb 
him when he is sleeping—and this they often do when they 
want him to come out for a game, by tapping on his box,—he 
puts his head out and grumbles, and scolds as energetically as 
any stair-head randy. Finding this of no avail, he appeals to 
us with beseeching eyes, and the cause of the disturbance hav- 
ing been forcibly removed he returns to bed. 
Squirrels have a most retentive memory, and our present 
pet immediately recognises us even after an absence of five 
weeks. 
By far the gravest accusation which is brought against 
squirrels is, that they cause an immense destruction to woods 
and forests. Mr Speedy states that the damage done to pine 
woods by squirrels is very great. On some estates in Strath- 
spey, he adds, 1s. per tail has been given; and as many as 
1000 to 1200 have been killed on one estate in Nairnshire in 
one year. This question ought to allow of a positive answer. 
Are trees better developed or do they furnish better wood in 
forests which are practically free from squirrels (for I grieve 
to say that in many districts the little animal has been practi- 
cally exterminated) as compared with the trees in forests 
where squirrels abound? My own observation alone allows 
me to state that no appreciable damage is done to trees by 
squirrels, and this is reinforced by the answers to questions 
put to landed proprietors and estate owners. Many of these 
have told me that neither they nor their keepers would have 
been aware of the presence of squirrels in their woods unless 
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