NOTES BY THE WAY 157 



i— his eyes glistening, his form crouching. Seeing 

 no escape in any other direction, "he took a flying 

 leap into space, and fluttered rather than fell into 

 the abyss below. His legs began to work like 

 those of a swimming poodle-dog, but quicker and 

 quicker, while his tail, slightly elevated, spread out 

 like a feather fan. A rabbit of the same weight 

 would have made the trip in about twelve seconds; 

 the squirrel protracted it for more than half a 

 minute," and "landed on a ledge of limestone, 

 where we could see him plainly squat on his hind 

 legs and smooth his ruflled fur, after which he 

 made for the creek with a flourish of his tail, took 

 a good drink, and scampered away into the willow 

 thicket." 



The story at first blush seems incredible, but I 

 have no doubt our red squirrel would have made 

 the leap safely ; then why not the great black squir- 

 rel, since its parachute would be proportionately 

 large ? 



The tails of the squirrels are broad and long and 

 flat, not short and small like those of gophers, chip- 

 munks, woodchucks, and other ground rodents, and 

 when they leap or fall through the air the tail is 

 arched and rapidly vibrates. A squirrel's tail, there- 

 fore, is something more than ornament, something 

 more than a flag; it not only aids him in flying, 

 but it serves as a cloak, which he wraps about him 

 when he sleeps. Thus, some animals put their tails 

 to various uses, while others seem to have no use 

 for them whatever. What use for a tail has a wood- 



