302 COMMON BEASTS OF AN INDIAN GARDEN 



been pointed out, fluctuations of like nature occur in 

 the numbers of other mammals and of some birds 

 in the neighbourhood of Calcutta, and may fairly 

 be accounted for as the results of periodically re- 

 curring destructive epidemics. 



The movements of palm-squirrels in trees are 

 exquisitely accurate and rapidly executed. In 

 travelling up vertical surfaces they advance in a 

 succession of rapid darting rushes, alternating with 

 pauses, during which they lie flattened out on the 

 bark and almost invisible among the grey and black 

 lichens coating it, and closely matching the colours 

 of their fur. When traversing horizontal or sloping 

 boughs they run and leap lightly about, constantly 

 flirting their feathery tails as they go. When the 

 stem on which a squirrel is, is approached, the animal 

 immediately dodges round to the far side of it, and 

 there is no use of attempting to get a sight of him 

 by following him round, as this only leads him to 

 repeat the process. Under such circumstances the 

 only chance of getting a good view is to remain 

 quite still until curiosity has done its work, and 

 then a small head will be seen peeping round one 

 side of the stem to scrutinise the intruder with a 

 pair of brightly glancing eyes. All the time they 

 are travelling they constantly chatter and scold, 

 and every pause in their progress is attended by 

 a volley of sharply twittering notes, and such 

 violent elevation of their tails that the tips are 



