40 BIRDS. 



change their expression at all till they launch into the 

 air, when by their voice they express anger rather 

 than alarm. 



I have referred to the red squirrel as a destroyer 

 of the eggs and young of birds. I think the mischief 

 it does in this respect can hardly be overestimatedo 

 Nearly all birds look upon it as their enemy, and at 

 tack and annoy it when it appears near their breed- 

 ing haunts. Thus, I have seen the pewee, the cuckoo, 

 the robin, and the wood-thrush pursuing it with angry 

 voice and gestures. A friend of mine saw a pair of 

 robins attack one in the top of a tall tree so vigor^ 

 ously that they caused it to lose its hold, when it fell 

 to the ground, and was so stunned by the blow as to 

 allow him to pick it up. If you wish the birds to 

 breed and thrive in your orchard and groves, kill 

 every red squirrel that infests the place ; kill every 

 weasel also. The weasel is a subtle and arch enemy 

 of the birds. It climbs trees and explores them with 

 great ease and nimbleness. I have seen it do so on 

 several occasions. One day my attention was ar- 

 rested by the angry notes of a pair of brown-thrash- 

 ers that were flitting from bush to bush along an old 

 stone row in a remote field. Presently I saw what it 

 was that excited them — three large red weasels, or 

 ermines coming along the stone wall, and leisurely anq 

 half playfully exploring every tree that stood near it. 

 They had probably robbed the thrashers. They would 

 go up the trees with great ease, and glide serpent-like 

 out upon the main branches. When they descended 

 the tree they were unable to come straight down, like 

 a squirrel, but went around it spirally. How boldly 

 they thrust their heads out of the wall, and eyed me 

 and sniffed me, as I drew near, — their round, thin 



