Bannertail 



^nm^ fluffing out that full and flaunting plume 



every few minutes. Once or twice a day- 

 he combed it, and ever he was most care- 

 ful to keep it out of wet or dirt. His coat 

 might be stained with juice of fruit or 

 gum of pine, and little he cared ; but the 

 moment a pine drop or a bit of stick, 

 moss, or mud clung to his tail he stopped 

 all other work to lick, clean, comb, shake, 

 fluff and double-fluff that precious, beau- 

 tiful member to its perfect fulness, light- 

 ness, and plumy breadth. 



Why? What the trunk is to the ele- 

 phant and the paw to the monkey, the 

 tail is to the Graysquirrel. It is his spe- 

 cial gift, a vital part of his outfit, the 

 secret of his life. The 'possum's tail is 

 to swing by, the fox's tail for a blanket 

 wrap, but the Squirrel's tail is a para- 

 chute, a " land-easy"; with that in per- 

 fect trim he can fall from any height in 

 any tree and be sure of this, that he will 



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