224 WOODLAND CREATURES 



a time it seemed to settle down, and, as puss 

 was so good natured, there seemed hope that 

 all would be well. Unfortunately I had for- 

 gotten that a workman had had instructions 

 to destroy some of the kittens. Half an hour 

 later, when returning to see how things were 

 getting on, I was startled to hear heated language 

 coming from the loft, where the cat's family 

 was. Rushing up, I found the man on his knees 

 with the kittens before him, and one of his 

 fingers was bleeding quite fast. He had picked 

 a kitten up, and a rat, that had been lying in 

 the hay, had sprung out and bitten him, he 

 said. Without wasting time in explanations I 

 began to look for the squirrel, which was at last 

 found at the very bottom of the pile of hay, into 

 which it had scrambled when so rudely disturbed. 

 Even then the workman would hardly believe 

 that it was merely a very small squirrel which 

 had given him such a sharp nip. After this dis- 

 turbance it was not surprising that neither cat 

 nor squirrel would have anything to do with 

 each other. 



Young squirrels are born early in the summer, 

 in May or June, the litters numbering from 

 three to six. The mother is most attentive to 

 them, and not only builds an elaborate nursery 

 for them, but, if the first nest fails to please her, 

 will make a second, and move them to it. If 

 too many people come by, or if the nest gets 

 too verminous for comfort, she soon makes 

 another and has a removal. I once had the 



