Animals in the Wild [ gg 



Aside from nuts, squirrels enjoy the seeds from apples, pears, 

 and other fruit, mushrooms, corn, and wheat. Sometimes they 

 raid birds' nests for eggs or fledglings, though they are guilty of 

 such raids less often than red squirrels. An overabundance of 

 peanuts is unhealthy for squirrels, but a few added to tree nuts 

 or other foods are a nourishing addition to their diet. 



RABBITS NATURE'S INDESTRUCTTBLES 



If you are familiar with the story of Peter Rabbit's adven- 

 tures in Mr. McGregor's garden you have an excellent basis for 

 understanding this rodent's fate in life. He is the Pursued; his 

 daily routine is one escape after another. In addition to being a 

 victim of almost every flesh-eating mammal and bird, he is also 

 a favorite target for sportsmen. 



How Rabbits Survive: Yet although they are the prey of countless 

 enemies, rabbits are fast breeders and continue to exist in great 

 numbers. As we observe them we see two further features which 

 help account for their survival: the long ears that detect the 

 enemy's approach from a distance, and the long, muscular hind 

 legs which propel a rabbit away from danger with remarkable 

 speed. 



A further aid to the rabbit's flair for self-preservation is its 

 extremely keen sense of smell: Its nostrils twitch constantly to 

 catch every scent in the air. The rabbit's whiskers serve as trusted 

 feelers, its eyes are large and bright. It has strong front cutting 

 teeth, and with its split upper lip makes most efficient use of them. 



In summer, the rabbit's fondness for cabbage and lettuce makes 

 it the plague of gardeners. It also feeds on grass, clover, and other 

 herbs. During the winter, when green leaves are scarce, it gnaws 

 bark from trees and nibbles buds from shrubs. 



There are many varieties of rabbits. Aside from those living in 

 the wild state, there are others raised by thousands of people 

 either for a hobby or for extra income. I once knew a rabbit that 

 began its career as an Easter pet. Later on its young owner kept 

 it at his family's store, where the rabbit was trained to snip with 

 its front teeth the cord used to tie packages. This novel perform- 

 ance stimulated business considerably! 



