DECEMBER, 1882. 251 



the fish in these uncertain, short-coursed mountain 

 streams, with a sea exit, afraid of being frozen up towards 

 the upper course of the stream in the winter, and, having 

 no important pools or ponds to congregate in for security, 

 do they really seek the warm, deep water of the 

 contiguous sea for the winter months ! If this is so, it 

 greatly complicates our ideas of the ways of Salmofario, 

 and may account for certain appearances among local 

 shoals of sea trout that greatly exercise us, and demand 

 further elucidation. 



Do squirrels throw down their nests ? we are asked, as 

 we turn from the stream towards the road, and pass 

 under the trees lately tenanted by unmistakable nests of 

 the squirrel, built under the watchful eye of our friend. 

 There on the sward lies the complete nest of a squirrel, 

 not a summer nursery, it appears to us, but a lately re- 

 lined winter snuggery. It had been tumbled holus-bolus 

 out of the tree, whence it could not have been blown, 

 and where no boy about, had there been any, would 

 have disturbed it. Only built originally this summer, it 

 could not have become intolerable through the increase 

 of parasites, and the lining was fresh ! Are any others 

 down ! is the natural query, and we examine the tree but 

 a few yards away, where another nest is still standing. 

 Is it ? look again ; it is really almost out, having been 

 clearly dragged from its position in the fork of the fir. 

 Other two nests further along, but apparently not 

 interfering with the hunting grounds of each other, or 

 stepping beyond the unwritten forest code of Mr. Squirrel, 

 remain as they were. The natural conclusion is that 

 there has been a little jealousy, or a great deal of ill- 

 feeling; and that, remembering the shrewd remark of the 

 Indian to be " near to the far, and far to the near," they 



