310 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 
devour caterpillars in the nest. On the other hand, they do 
great mischief in destroying the eggs of other useful birds. 
Like arrant cowards, as they are, they take opportunities to 
approach stealthily the nests of many birds, whom they would 
be afraid to encounter, and then feast on the eggs of the absent 
parents, after which they hurry away. They are scarcely less 
destructive in this way than the Black Snakes, though I have 
never known them to kill young birds. In this connection, it 
may be remarked that the common red squirrels (often called 
red ‘‘ferrets”) greatly check the increase of our birds, though 
the little ‘“‘chipmonks” are, I believe, quite harmless in this 
respect. These latter, often called Striped or Ground Squir- 
rels, are much less adroit climbers than the former, and are 
comparatively seldom seen in trees. Recently, however, I 
observed one who was feeding at noon on a large stone, which 
he had established as his dining-table, and who, after his meal, 
climbed up a stump luxuriantly covered with the poisonous 
‘“‘ivy,” evidently to enjoy a siesta. There, curled up on one 
of the branches, at some height from the ground, he rested for 
some while, occasionally allowing himself ‘‘forty winks,” but 
usually keeping his eyes open to aid in the detection of danger. 
He was undoubtedly disturbed by his children at home; but 
he must provide for them; so he reluctantly descended, and, 
filling his pouches to an almost incredible extent, disappeared 
down his hole in the lawn. The red ‘‘ferrets” are said to 
throw young birds wantonly from the nest. This I have never 
observed, but I have frequently seen them apparently hunting 
for nests and actually robbing them of eggs. They climb cley- 
erly, leap without hesitation from bough to bough, or tree to 
tree, and scamper over the ground with rapidity, even doing 
so while carrying one of their young between their teeth. 
(d). The notes of the Cuckoo are all unmusical, and more 
or less uncouth and guttural. They are much varied, being 
sometimes cow-cow-cow-cow-cow, cow-cow, sometimes cuckod- 
cucko6-cuckod, sometimes cuckucow’, cuckucow', and at other 
times low. Many of them are very liquid, but I have heard 
one cry which has an aflinity to that of certain woodpeckers. 
The Cuckoos may sometimes be heard at night. 
