THE SQUIRRELS-SQUIRRELS PROPER. 



309 



twigs, shells, berries, grain and mushrooms. The 

 seeds, buds and young shoots of fir and pine trees 

 probably form its principal food. It bites pine 

 cones off at the stem, comfortably sits down on its 

 haunches, lifts the cone to its mouth with its fore- 

 paws, and turning it constantly around, it bites off 

 one little scale after another with its exceedingly 

 sharp teeth, until the kernel is reached; this it takes 

 out with its tongue and puts into its mouth. It pre- 

 sents a very pretty sight when it has plenty of hazel 

 nuts, which are its favorite dainty. Bitter kernels, 

 like almonds, for instance, are poison to it; two bitter 

 almonds arc sufficient to kill it. 



As soon as the animal is provided with food in 

 abundance, it lays by stores for later and less plente- 

 ous times. In the crevices . 

 and holes of hollow trees and 

 their roots, in holes which it 

 has excavated under bushes 

 and stones, in one of its nests 

 and other similar places it 

 establishes its store rooms, 

 and carries the respective 

 nuts, grains and kernels to 

 them sometimes from a great 

 distance. In the forests of 

 southeastern Siberia, the 

 Squirrels also store away 

 mushrooms, and that in a 

 highly peculiar manner. 

 "They are so unselfish," says 

 Radde, "that they do not 

 think of hiding their supply 

 of mushrooms, but pin them 

 on the pine needles or in 

 larch woods on the small 

 twigs. There they leave the 

 mushrooms to dry, and in 

 times of scarcity of food 

 these stores are of good ser- 

 vice to some roaming indi- 

 vidual of their kind." By 

 thus guarding against winter 

 the Squirrels show how ex- 

 ceedingly sensitive they are 

 to all influences of 

 temperature. If the 

 sun shines a little 

 warmer than usual, 

 they sleep in their 

 nest during the heat 

 of the day and roam 

 about in the forest 

 only early in the 

 mornings and even- 

 ings; but they hold 

 rain showers, violent 

 wind storms, thun- 

 der storms and especially snow storms in still greater 

 dread. Their presentiment of temperature to come 

 cannot be denied. As early as half a day before a 

 storm they signify their restlessness by an incessant 

 hopping about on the trees and by quite peculiar 

 whistling and clacking noises, which one usually 

 hears from them only when they are greatly excited. 

 As soon as the first presentiments of the storm are 

 felt, they retreat into their nests, a single nest some- 

 times harboring several Squirrels, and the exit on 

 the side of the wind being carefully stuffed, they 

 comfortably curl up and wait till the tempest has 

 spent itself. A severe autumn is usually very de- 



GRAY SQUIRRELS. This is a group of familiar American animals, which in 



several varieties are found in all parts of trie United States, and are among the handsomest 

 and liveliest of the family. (Sciurus carolinensh or migratorius .) 



structive to them, as they consume their winter 

 stores, and if it is followed by a winter that is in any 

 way severe, a multitude of the animals perish. 



The Squirrel's With the advent of night the Squir- 

 Well Developed rel, which steadily lives in the same 

 Senses. locality, retires into its nest and 

 sleeps there as long as the darkness lasts, but it is 

 by no means helpless, for a suspicious sound wakes 

 it instantly. A frightened Squirrel utters a loud 

 " duck, duck"; a sense of comfort or slight anger is 

 testified by a strange murmuring sound which can 

 not very well be rendered by syllables. Special 

 joy or excitement are expressed by a whistle. All 

 senses, and in particular sight, hearing and smell 

 are acute in the Squirrels, and feeling must also be 

 much developed, as their presentiments 

 of changes in the temperature admit of 

 no other explanation; and from observa- 

 tions of captive Squirrels we may con- 

 clude that their sense of taste is also de- 

 cidedly keen. Good mental qualifications 

 may be inferred from the retentive mem- 

 ory the animal possesses and from the 

 slyness and cunning with which it escapes 

 its enemies. Like a flash of lightning it 

 darts to the highest among the surround- 

 ng trees, goes up the trunk to the first 

 fork nearly always on the opposite side 

 from its enemy, the most of its body that 

 it shows being the little head, as it con- 

 ceals itself as much as possible and 

 tries to make good its escape as nearly 

 unperceived as it can. 

 Four weeks after the breeding 

 season the female gives birth to 

 from three to seven 

 young, in the softest, 

 best located nest; 

 the little ones re- 

 main blind for nine 

 days and are ten- 

 derly nurtured by 

 their mother. After 

 they have been 

 weaned, the mother, 

 and perhaps also the 

 father, brings them 

 food for several 

 days; then the par- 

 ents leave the young 

 family to their fate. 

 The young ones re- 

 main together for a 

 while, play with 

 each other and soon 

 acquire the habits of 

 their parents. By 

 June the female has 

 another family, and when they also are so far grown 

 up that they can roam around with her, she fre- 

 quently joins her first litter, and one may see the 

 entire band, sometimes consisting of from twelve to 

 sixteen members, gamboling about in the same part 

 of a wood; and it would be difficult to find a more 

 lively, playful group. 



The cleanliness of the Squirrel is remarkable: for 

 it licks and dresses its fur unceasingly. For this 

 reason it is specially adapted to be kept in a room. 

 Half-grown young Squirrels are taken out of the 

 nest for this purpose, and kept on milk and bread, 

 until one can give them grain. 



