SQUIRRELS WON BY KINDNESS. 55 



kept, descend to the floor and hop leisurely to a 

 cupboard, where on the first shelf is a box full of 

 Barcelonas. The little animals spring on to the 

 shelf and help themselves. This they are allowed 

 to do for a little while, as we like to watch their 

 proceedings ; but I make a protest presently, and 

 close the cupboard door when I find my entire 

 stock of nuts being transferred to the garden 

 and planted all over the lawn, for the squirrels bury 

 nuts for future use, although I am very doubtful 

 whether they do really dig them up again. 



On cold mornings when the windows cannot be 

 opened, it is touching to see the little furry heads 

 peep through the pane, waiting patiently for their 

 daily meal. This they eventually share with 

 several very tame nuthatches; these birds seem- 

 ing very glad of nuts as well as fat during the 

 winter months. 



The only drawback to having wild squirrels 

 tamed is the distraction they cause when a class of 

 village children is being taught in the dining-room ! 

 Sydney Smith says : " A sparrow fluttering about 

 the church is an antagonist which the most pro- 

 found theologian in Europe is wholly unable to 



