114 HAMPSHIRE DAYS 



squirrel high up in the topmost branches of the trees 

 overhead, bounding along from branch to branch before 

 him, and by-and-by, failing to grasp the branch it had 

 aimed at, it fell fifty or sixty feet to the earth, and 

 was stone dead when he picked it up from the road. 

 But such accidents must be exceedingly rare in the 

 squirrel's life. 



Looking closely at my dead squirrel to make sure 

 that he had no external hurt, I was surprised to find 

 its fur peopled with lively big black fleas, running 

 about as if very much upset at the death of their 

 host. These fleas were to my eyes just like pulex 

 irritans our own flea; but it is doubtful that it 

 was the same, as we know that a great many animals 

 have their own species to tease them. Now, I have 

 noticed that some very small animals have very 

 small fleas; and that, one would imagine, is as it 

 should be, since fleas are small to begin with, because 

 they cannot afford to be large, and the flea that 

 would be safe on a dog would be an unsuitable para- 

 site for so small a creature as a mouse. The common 

 shrew is an example. It has often happened that when 

 in an early morning walk I have found one lying dead 

 on the path or road and have touched it, out instantly 

 a number of fleas have jumped. And on touching it 

 again, there may be a second and a third shower. 

 These fleas, parasitical on so minute a mammal, are 

 themselves minute pretty sherry-coloured little crea- 

 tures, not half so big as the dog's flea. It appears 



