238 NATURAL HISTORY IN ANECDOTE. 



as it descends obliquely through the air from the tree to 

 the ground, the tail operating as a rudder. One species 

 of the flying squirrel is found in Europe and several in 

 India. 



The Squirrel Mr. Head gives a graphic description of his expe- 

 at Home, riences with a squirrel in the Canadian woods. 

 He says : " I was waiting the approach of a large flock of 

 wild fowl, but a little villain of a squirrel on the bough of a 

 tree close to me, seemed to have determined that even now 

 I should not rest in quiet, for he sputtered and chattered 

 with so much vehemence, that he attracted the attention of 

 my dog, whom I could scarcely control. The vagrant inattention 

 of my dog was truly mortifying; he kept his eyes fixed upon 

 the squirrel, now so noisy as to be quite intolerable. With 

 my hand, I made a motion to threaten him, but the little 

 beast actually set up his back, and defied me, becoming even 

 more passionate and noisy than before, till all of a sudden, 

 as if absolutely on purpose to alarm the game, down he let 

 himself drop, plump at once within a couple of yards of 

 Rover's nose. This was too much for any four-footed animal 

 to bear, so he gave a bounce and sprang at the impertinent 

 squirrel, who, in one second, was safe out of his reach, cock- 

 ing his tail, and showing his teeth on the identical bough 

 where he had sat before. Away flew all the wild fowl, and 

 my sport was completely marred. My gun went involuntarily 

 to my shoulder to shoot the squirrel. At the same moment, 

 I felt I was about to commit an act of sheer revenge, on a 

 little courageous animal which deserved a better fate. As if 

 aware of my hesitation, he nodded his head with rage, and 

 stamped his fore paws on the tree: while in his chirruping, 

 there was an intonation of sound, which seemed addressed 

 to an enemy for whom he had an utter contempt. What 

 business, I could fancy he said, had I there, trespassing on 

 his domain, and frightening his wife and little family, for 

 whom he was ready to lay down his life? There he would 



