THE SQUIRREL. 285 



the slightest pressure, as does that of many rodents, 

 and though the accident seems to occasion the 

 creature little discomfort at the time, its fate is 

 most assuredly sealed. 



A squirrel that has lost its tail will not live ; 

 in fact, no greater calamity could befall this little 

 denizen of the branches. It will be noticed that 

 when a squirrel runs along the top of a wall it 

 carries its tail straight out behind, as it does when 

 on the ground ; and should it desire to leap a 

 gap in the wall its tail is given a downward sweep 

 as it takes off, thereby giving an additional impulse 

 to the leap. When climbing upwards a squirrel 

 carries its tail vertically over its back, so that 

 the impulse can now be given in an upward 

 direction. And so, in every attitude Mr Squirrel 

 assumes, his tail is so carried that it can be utilised 

 to assist in the direction in which assistance is 

 needed ; and similarly, in alighting, he breaks 

 the force of his landing by a sweep of this 

 ornamental extremity. It is his rudder and his 

 parachute ; and what happens should he lose this 

 important member, and be left only with the 

 naked stump ? All through his life he has allowed 

 for that little extra impulse his tail gave, and 

 for the steadying effect it had when leaping 

 through space ; but now he is hopelessly at sea. 

 Here he falls short, failing to catch the branch 

 at which he aimed, and tumbles heavily to earth ; 

 there he makes a leap for the vertical trunk, 

 and, unable to jerk his body upwards at the last 

 moment, he crashes head-foremost into the tree, 

 falling dazed and bewildered to earth. It is not 

 the first fall nor the second that kills him, but 

 the many falls that come each day, till in the 

 end, unable to realise what misfortune is his, he 



