THE SQUIRREL'S HARVEST. 



away with true feminine coquetry just as he 

 thought he had caught her. Ha, ha ! the 

 wooing o't ! I stood and watched the pretty 

 little comedy for full twenty minutes ; and 

 all the time it was as clear as crystal for 

 which of her two admirers that arrant little 

 flirt had the greater inclination. Not that 

 she ever let him see it himself too plainly ; 

 she sometimes encouraged him awhile, and 

 sometimes his rival. She was coy, she was 

 forward, she was bewitching, she was cold ; 

 she employed every art known to female 

 wiles in one word, she was a woman. I 

 wished those who doubt the reality of 

 selective preferences in the lower animals 

 could have been there to see. It was a 

 sweet little courtship. At last the tiny 

 coquette made her choice quite plain ; and 

 then the discomfited suitor went on his way, 

 crestfallen, while his successful rival, too 

 overtly triumphant, and rejoicing in his luck, 

 gazed after him and jeered at him. 



I am happy to add, however, that squirrels, 

 221 



