UNDER THE APPLE-TREES 



after I had cracked a few of them and had thus given 

 him a taste of what was in them, he began to carry 

 them to his den. 



It is interesting to see how well these wild crea- 

 tures are groomed — every hair in its place and 

 shining as if it had just been polished. The tail of 

 my chipmunk is simply perfect — not a hair missing 

 or soiled or worn. In fact, the whole animal looks as 

 new and fresh as a coin just minted, or a flower just 

 opened. His underground habits leave no mark or 

 stain upon him, and his daily labors do not rujffle a 

 hair. This is true of nearly all the wild creatures. 

 Domestication changes all this; domestic animals 

 become dirty and unkempt. The half -tame gray 

 squirrels in the parks have little of the wild grace and 

 beauty of the squirrels in the woods. Especially do 

 their tails deteriorate, and their sylvan airiness and 

 delicacy disappear. 



The whole character of the squirrel culminates 

 and finds expression in its tail — all its nervous rest- 

 lessness and wild beauty, all its jauntiness, archness, 

 and suspicion, and every change of emotion, seem 

 to ripple out along this appendage. 



How furtive and nervous my chipmunk is, rush- 

 ing about by little jerks incessantly, not stopping 

 for anything! His bright, unwinking eyes, his pal- 

 pitating body, his sudden spasmodic movements, 

 his eagerness, his industry, his sleekness and clean- 

 liness — what a picture he makes ! Apparently he 



10 



