320 Sporting Sketches 



a raid. He has long watched those eggs, and now 

 his instinct tells they are as he would prefer them. 

 He makes a sudden bounce to intimidate the dove, 

 but the bird is brave. Quick as a flash the ready 

 wing meets the robber's nose and with a biff-barf 

 which suggests no trifling force. The blows almost 

 knock the squirrel from the trunk, and he is compelled 

 to temporarily retreat. But although his attacks 

 have been repulsed half-a-dozen times, he is by no 

 means done. He sidles around the trunk and 

 attempts to carry the fortress from another point, but 

 the wary dove has turned and is ready for him, and 

 again the wing beats him off. " This will never 

 do," say we, so while one runs for the gun the other 

 keeps watch upon the robber's movements. Fi- 

 nally, after being driven to a proper distance from the 

 tree, the squirrel's evil-doing is forever ended by a 

 storm of small shot, and the valiant doves may rest 

 in peace. 



Beyond all question the red squirrel destroys a 

 great number of the eggs of small birds, always pre- 

 ferring those about ready for the hatching. He also 

 devours young birds if he can find them within a 

 day or two after their leaving the shell. I have not 

 known him to attack young birds after they had be- 

 gun to sprout feathers, but have seen quite enough 

 of his work during the earlier stages to warrant his 

 destruction. I never shoot him for any other rea- 

 son, as he is altogether too easy quarry to afford any 

 sport, while his wretched little body is not worth 

 bothering about for the table. But in the case of 

 the gray, black, and fox squirrels things are dif- 

 ferent. A fat young one of any of these varieties is 



