THE RODENTS. 



67 



the young trees, 1 the rats and voles devastating the crops. 

 Plagues of the latter occur periodically, when the reprisals 

 are enormous, tens of thousands paying the penalty. 



i. THE SQUIRREL. 



The Squirrel is certainly the most pleasing of our 

 rodents, its antics in the higher branches of beech or fir 

 tree being extremely fascinating. It appears 

 to be widely distributed over the greater part 

 of these islands, and is extending its range in Scotland, 



Range. 



from parts of which it had temporarily disappeared. In 

 the New Forest it is particularly plentiful, and I have 

 more than once seen it in gardens and on bypaths in the 

 very heart of Bournemouth. 



Unlike its distant connection, the dormouse, the squirrel 

 never falls into a state of torpor, though it is compara- 



1 The damage done to trees by squirrels was discussed at some length 

 in the ' Times ' this year (1897), some correspondents giving evidence 

 of their girdling the trunk several feet from the top, while others stated 

 that their gravest offence was eating out the tmds, letting the twigs fall 

 to the ground. 



