WILD LIFE OF ORCHARD AND FIELD 



to be eaten. Their shrivelling up and the shak- 

 ing of the branches by the winds caused many to 

 fall, and these the squirrels industriously picked 

 up and tried to fasten more securely to the 

 branches. 



This method of providing themselves with winter 

 food implied the necessity of their coming forth 

 from their underground retreats, no matter how 

 cold and snowy the weather, whenever they want- 

 ed something to eat, instead of having their larder 

 in-doors as is usual with them; and it would be 

 interesting to know whether they actually did 

 so, or whether they failed to profit, after all, by their 

 seemingly sagacious prudence. 



The worst enemy of the squirrels, chipmunks, 

 and all other " small deer" in the Eastern woods 

 is the weasel, of which naturalists distinguish 

 two or three species, until lately confounded and 

 even regarded as identical with the European 

 ermine. To him day and night are alike, winter 

 has no terrors, and all castles are unlocked. He 

 does not need the opportunity offered by the farm- 

 er's poultry-yard to enable him to live merrily in 

 the midst of civilization. 



The civilization of the country, indeed, has 

 worked to the advantage rather than otherwise 



13 



