The Red Squirrel 



Alfred Emerson 

 In machine gun corps U. S. Army 



About the most commonly seen wild animal in our northern 

 rural districts is the red squirrel. This spry little adventurer is 

 often seen climbing trees, running along the branches and jump- 

 ing from one tree to another in a graceful manner. Often one 

 wonders how it is possible for him to be so sure of his jump, 

 because often he jumps upon twigs which swing way down with 

 his weight. Once, however, I did see a squirrel fall. As I was 

 walking I passed near a vine-clad building and I heard an awful 

 chatter in the vines far above me and I looked up just in time to 

 see a red squirrel fall from the gutter. I don't know how he 

 came to lose his balance, but in touching the ground^ he certainly 

 regained it remarkably quick, because all I saw was a brown streak 

 extending from the spot where he fell and vanishing around the 

 corner of the building. Some authorities claim all squirrels, in 

 some manner, are able to break their fall by forming a sort of 

 parachute of their body and tail. They have even been known to 

 escape enemies by volplaning to the earth. I have never noticed 

 this action among the red squirrels; however, connected with 

 this habit, the squirrel's tail forms a valuable aid by guiding him 

 in his flight whether it is simply jumping from one tree to another 

 or actually planing to the ground. The flying squirrel is, of 

 course, better adapted to this form of locomotion than the red 

 squirrel, but I doubt whether any of our squirrels would injure 

 themselves by attempting to jump from a too great altitude. 



The red squirrels are found commonly in mixed woods of oak, 

 maple, hemlocks, beeches and chestnuts. Here they are always 

 happy, and in any season may be seen busily gathering their 

 food. If they come upon you unawares they often become quite 

 angry and will chatter and scold, moving the tail and body in 

 accompaniment as if the whole mind was filled with anger at the 

 contemplation of a thing without even any kind of a tail, interfer- 

 ing with them. The red squirrel does not lay up stores for the 

 winter in the same way as some of his cousins, the chipmunks do. 

 He is always about, in all weather, hunting for food, in hemlock, 

 pine and sumac panacles. Sometimes he will place nuts at different 



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