234 WOODLAND CREATURES 



out, and in response to a second blow the 

 squirrel sprang from the nest and scuttled away 

 through the branches, a second following it, 

 and then a third. They looked quite adult, 

 and to this day I have no clue whether they were 

 three old ones that had made a common 

 dwelling or a family that had not yet parted 

 company, but probability is in favour of the 

 latter theory. 



Squirrels make the most delightful pets if 

 taken in hand young enough, and are very easy 

 creatures to keep in good health, but it should 

 not be forgotten that they have the most for- 

 midable teeth, and can, if annoyed, inflict a far 

 worse bite than a rat. I had a squirrel for some 

 time, but " Nutkin," as he was called, never became 

 very confiding, so I turned him out in the garden. 

 As said before, to get any animal really tame 

 you should have it when very small and before 

 it has learnt to fear. However, Nutkin acquired 

 a fair amount of confidence. He would take 

 a nut from me, hold it in his paws, nibble off 

 the point, split the shell, and eat the kernel. 

 He was also fond of apples, besides which he 

 would eat dry bread, soaked dog-biscuit, and 

 many odds and ends. He was quite a thirsty 

 creature, and a supply of fresh water was always 

 kept in his cage. By the way, I would beg 

 anybody who has a pet squirrel not to shut it 

 up in one of those horrible little cages with a 

 revolving wheel, but to have a large roomy 

 one, or better still, a wire enclosure made for it. 



