SINGULAR COINCIDENCE. 53 



though at an earlier period. The coincidence is 

 certainly remarkable. Squirrels were unknown 

 there seventy years ago, hut about that time his 

 lordship's grandmother, Elizabeth, Duchess of 

 Buccleuch, turned out a few at Dalkeith. Before 

 long they increased rapidly, and several were 

 observed at Arniston, twelve miles off. From 

 thence they spread into Selkirkshire, but, from 

 some cause not ascertained, their further progress 

 seemed to be arrested for a time, until about 

 1841, when the first squirrel made its appearance 

 at The Hirsel, to the great astonishment of the 

 people in the neighbourhood, who had never seen 

 one before. In this district, though now gene- 

 rally distributed, they are comparatively harmless, 

 and escape persecution ; their favourite food con- 

 sisting of the nuts of hazel and beech which, 

 with other deciduous trees, abound in the adja- 

 cent woods and along the banks of the Tweed ; 

 but Lord Home says that he has been obliged to 

 reduce their numbers on his property at Douglas 

 Castle, in Lanarkshire, where their depredations 

 have caused serious injury to the plantations of 

 larch and Scotch firs. Alas ! it is in vain for 

 even their best friends to pronounce a verdict of 

 " not guilty." No one was ever more anxious 

 than myself to credit and, if possible, prove their 



