THE SQUIRREL. 



THIS light and lively little creature has often gratified 

 the sight of the visitor of the country, in his woodland 

 rambles. Its activity and agility, when favourably 

 situated, are truly surprising j and its sudden turns, 

 when moving with the greatest rapidity, are almost too 

 quick for the sight to follow. On the ground, the 

 squirrel has less opportunity of displaying its powers, 

 and though it advances rapidly, it is by means of jumps 

 or gallops. 



If after admiring this lively little creature carrying its 

 tail on its back, shelling its nuts, sitting upright and 

 using its fore feet like hands, or leaping from branch to 

 branch with amazing agility, we wish to know some- 

 thing of its habits, these may be easily ascertained. It 

 chooses a tall tree for its abode, and prefers a natural 

 hollow, where the branches begin to fork into smaller 

 ones. Here, first making a level, it builds its nest, lines 

 it with wool or any other soft substance, leaves only one 

 opening just large enough for itself, defends this by a 

 cone which throws off the rain, and so protects the whole, 



