24 THE SQUIRREL 



inaccessible situation so far as other animals are concerned. One 

 pair generally occupy the same tree and nest for a lengthy 

 period. From three to four young are produced at a birth, usually 

 in June, the young remaining in the parent nest until the following 

 spring. 



The feeding propensities of squirrels are displayed in woods, parks, 

 plantations and pleasure-grounds by their devouring the buds, chiefly 

 flowering, of Scots pine, silver fir, and spruce trees, biting the young 

 shoots of those trees not arrived at flowering-bud stage just below 

 the terminal buds, and in the case of stiff branched trees devouring 

 the buds in situ. The squirrels prefer the male flower-buds to the 

 female, consequently where these animals abound coniferous 

 woods yield but small quantities of seed. In addition to devour- 

 ing the flowering-buds of various trees owing to the large amount of 

 protein which they contain, the squirrels evince delight of dainty 

 morsels by biting off the bark in May, June and July of young 

 broad-leaved trees of from fifteen to thirty years of age, the barking 

 being usually performed in the crown, and most frequently in 

 dry, hot seasons. Aspen, beech, hornbeam, horse-chestnut, and 

 willow suffer most among the broad-leaved species, and among 

 conifers, larch and pine. This dietary is varied with cockchafer 

 grubs, pupae of sawflies and other insects, but directly cob nuts and 

 filberts are fairly kernelled, squirrels forget everything else, though 

 occasionally having no scruples in respect of ripening apricots, 

 nectarines, peaches and plums, carrying them off to feed upon in 

 copses at leisure. Sweet chestnuts are dainties the squirrel loves, 

 and stores in dry places purposely dug in the ground and carefully 

 covered over with earth. Hazel-nuts and acorns are also stored in 

 a similar way, likewise beechnuts, and for quality of preservation 

 nothing can equal these earthpits. These stores are for use in 

 late winter or when appetite prompts and weather permits. It 

 not only devours large quantities of these on and off the trees, but 

 feeds freely on the seeds of conifers, obtaining them by pulling the 

 cones to pieces. Not content with its own storing, the squirrel 

 scrapes up the germinating nuts or seeds sown in nurseries near its 

 dwelling-places, and not least of its antics is guiltiness of attacking 

 the young of useful species of birds, which, more effectively than 

 itself, would otherwise help to keep down injurious insects. 



