The "Hut" of the Squirrel 109 



them. The dam was sent to a Monmouth taxidermist, 

 by whom it was skinned, stuffed, and mounted, and long 

 afterwards shown by him among other noted curiosities. 



THE "HUT" OF THE SQUIRREL. 



Fortunately for the naturalist, as the lover of nature, 

 not all the snares, gins, and ten-shilling licensed guns 

 can either exterminate this interesting quadruped or 

 apparently much reduce it in numbers. In most wooded 

 districts, despite all persecution, it maintains its ground ; 

 and from correspondents in Ireland and Scotland I learn 

 that in both these countries for some years past its 

 numbers appear to be increasing, rather than diminish- 

 ing. In the Forest of Dean and other woods in the 

 Welsh bordering shires squirrels are plenteous too abun- 

 dant, say the proprietors of fir plantations, to which, it 

 cannot be denied, these animals do considerable damage, 

 especially to larches. In hard winters they strip the 

 bark from the branches round and round; and though 

 there be but a twig thus bared, of course all the spray 

 that is above it perishes. In early spring also they gnaw 

 off the young leaf-buds, so injuring the health and retard- 

 ing the growth of the tree. During later spring and 

 summer they are destructive to birds' eggs, but in autumn 

 nuts and acorns furnish them with their preferred food ; 

 the latter supply the staple of it, and both are hoarded 

 for a winter store. But this note is not meant to give 

 a detailed account of the squirrel'* s habits, only of its nest, 

 or "hut/' one of which I have now before me, taken 



