208 A PHILOSOPHER WITH NATURE 



rolled together in the warm nests which they con- 

 struct for themselves, feed to a considerable extent 

 even in the colder months. They wake up in the 

 fine intervals and come out to visit the stores of 

 nuts and acorns they have hidden away in the 

 autumn. 



Its winter habits seem to give the squirrel a half- 

 way place between animals which during the cold 

 season fall into a state of suspended animation 

 almost resembling death and those which remain 

 in the ordinary functional state of activity. It is 

 very interesting to watch the onset of the hiber- 

 nating mood, which appears to be accompanied by 

 deep physiological changes. In a pair which the 

 writer had under observation last autumn, in condi- 

 tions closely resembling those in nature, the great 

 activity which is natural to squirrels in the summer 

 season began to fail as early as the end of August. 

 The little creatures passed a longer and longer 

 time asleep each day as the year declined, and 

 towards the end of November they came out for 

 only a few minutes daily to be fed. Still later they 

 could not be roused during cold weather, and the 

 animal functions seemed at last in large part sus- 

 pended. 



The intelligence of squirrels makes them often 

 resemble miniature monkeys. Even in its wild 

 state, in its gambols on the trees, our native squirrel 

 always seems as if it were conscious of being watched 

 and to have, like a monkey, a certain eye to effect 

 in all its doings. It never appears, like most wild 

 animals, to want simply to disappear from view, 

 but will mostly manage to keep in sight of the 

 spectator. There are curious lacunae in the intelli- 



