NUT-CRACKERS AND WOOD-CUTTERS. 79 



broad, bushy tail acts as a wing, and, in some measure, 

 supports them in the air, breaking the force of their 

 fall. 



3. The squirrel lives upon nuts, acorns, corn, and 

 fruit. The pert little rascal has a habit, also, of robbing 

 birds' nests, and sucking the eggs which he finds. Some- 

 times an old ( blackbird catches him in the midst of his 

 feast, and gives him a drubbing which he remembers 

 until his hide gets well. The squirrel builds a nice, warm, 

 dry nest of moss and leaves, among the branches, or in 

 some hollow tree or log, and he always keeps it clean. 

 Near the nest he lays up his winter store of nuts ; and 

 upon pleasant days he awakens from his long nap, takes a 

 bite, and goes to sleep again. 



4. Squirrels live in pairs. The nest is made large 

 enough for father, mother, and three or four young ones. 

 Sometimes a pair build three or four nests at convenient 

 distances from one another. Upon the appearance of dan- 

 ger the residence is changed. In the morning the mother 

 squirrel takes the family out to exercise, but, if any in- 

 truder appears, she carries them off with great rapidity to 

 one of her other homes. Squirrels are among the pretti- 

 est of household pets, and they may become so tame as to 

 have entire liberty to go and come as they please, only it 

 is difficult to keep them out of the jaws of the cat and 

 the dog. 



5. However, this is not always the case. A tiny 

 squirrel was adopted by a lady in a Western mining-camp, 

 who tells the following story : " The camp already con- 

 tained, in the way of pets, three dogs, two cats, a fawn, 

 and a hawk. By the side of any of these creatures the 

 poor little Ardea, as my Mexican woman called him, was 

 a mere pygmy. His great delight was to curl himself in 

 a ball and take a comfortable nap in my hand. Should 



