THE EUROPEAN SQUIRREL. 307 



the rescue. Beating him with their wings, pecking at him, and 

 loudly chirping meanwhile, they forced the squirrel to release 

 his prey."* 



Previous to winter, the squirrel lays up a store of food, chiefly 

 acorns, in various holes in trees near its own winter retreat, and 

 intended to save it from want and starvation at that season. 

 During the greater part of the winter it remains in a state of 

 repose nearly approaching to torpidity $ but with every fine day 

 that intervenes at that season it shakes off its lethargy and 

 repairs to its stores, and after satisfying its hunger retires again 

 to its dormitory. 



Squirrels live in pairs, continuing together, and making their 

 drey, or nest, in one particular tree for several successive years, 

 if not disturbed. It is usually placed in a hole in the tree, or 

 nicely concealed in the fork between two branches. " In the 

 beautiful grounds of Pain's Hill, near Cobham, where squirrels 

 abound, I never could hear," says Mr. Jesse, " of a drey having 

 been found in the holes of trees ; but generally on the branches, 

 where I saw several about half-way up the trees. I have, 

 however, seen one on the very top of a young fir-tree, to which 

 they appear to give the preference. In forming the drey they 

 begin by gathering mouthsful of dry bent grass [moss and 

 leaves], in the way we see rabbits do, and of this grass they 

 make a considerable deposit. The outside is afterwards pro- 

 tected with a quantity of sticks, giving the drey the appearance 

 of a bird's-nest. Before the young are born, the mother strips 

 off her fur in the manner of the rabbit, so that her stomach is 

 sometimes quite bare. This being stripped off affords them a 

 warm bed in the nest, and at the same time enables them to 

 find the teats more readily. She brings forth from four to five ; 

 and these when very young have an odd appearance, owing to 

 the shortness of their tails, which are some time before they 

 arrive at the full size. The young are easily reared, and soon 

 learn to take milk out of a spoon, and become very tame and 

 familiar." 



* Abridged from the Edinburgh Journal, October 28, 1837. 



