310 LAND-BIRDS AND GAME-BIRDS 



devour caterpillars in the nest. On the other hand, they do 

 great mischief in destroying the eggs of other useful birds. 

 Like arrant cowards, as they are, they take opportunities to 

 approach stealthily the nests of many birds, whom they would 

 be afraid to encounter, and then feast on the eggs of the absent 

 parents, after which they hurry away. They are scarcely less 

 destructive in this way than the Black Snakes, though I have 

 never known them to kill young birds. In this connection, it 

 maj 7 be remarked that the common red squirrels (often called 

 red "ferrets") greatly check the increase of our birds, though 

 the little "chipmonks" are, I believe, quite harmless in this 

 respect. These latter, often called Striped or Ground Squir- 

 rels, are much less adroit climbers than the former, and are 

 comparatively seldom- seen in trees. Kecently, however, I 

 observed one who was feeding at noon on a large stone, which 

 he had established as his dining-table, and who, after his meal, 

 climbed up a stump luxuriantly covered with the poisonous 

 " ivy," evidently to enjoy a siesta. There, curled up on one 

 of the branches, at some height from the ground, he rested for 

 some while, occasionally allowing himself "forty winks," but 

 usually keeping his eyes open to aid in the detection of danger. 

 He was undoubtedly disturbed by his children at home ; but 

 he must provide for them ; so he reluctantly descended, and, 

 filling his pouches to an almost incredible extent, disappeared 

 down his hole in the lawn. The red "ferrets" are said to 

 throw young birds wantonly from the nest. This I have never 

 observed, but I have frequently seen them apparently hunting 

 for nests and actually robbing them of eggs. They climb clev- 

 erly, leap without hesitation from bough to bough, or tree to 

 tree, and scamper over the ground with rapidity, even doing 

 so while carrying one of their young between their teeth. 



(d). The notes of the Cuckoo are all unmusical, and more 

 or less uncouth and guttural. They are much varied, being 

 sometimes cow-cow-cow-cow-cow, cow-cow, sometimes cuckoo- 

 cuckoo-cuckoo, sometimes cuckucow', cuckucow 1 , and at other 

 times low. Many of them are very liquid, but I have heard 

 one cry which has an affinity to that of certain woodpeckers. 

 The Cuckoos may sometimes be heard at night. 



