308 THE EUROPEAN SQUIRREL. 



A writer relates of a domesticated squirrel which was perfectly 

 tame, and devotedly attached to him, that when indulged with 

 liberty it would run over his body, enter his pockets in search 

 of nuts, and having found them it would sit on his shoulder to 

 crack them, and in that position suffer itself to be carried all 

 over the house. " It was," he proceeds, " so tame that we 

 often allowed it to run in the garden j in a moment it would 

 be at the top of a mulberry-tree, about twenty feet in height, 

 and spring from branch to branch - } but at the call of its master 

 would immediately descend, and get on his shoulder or into 

 his pocket, to be carried to the cage. It was a common thing 

 to see this squirrel at play with the cat ; it would get on her 

 back, and sit there as long as it thought proper without the 

 least fear. Squirrels are very dexterous in the arrangement of 

 their beds ; but I would strongly advise all who keep them in 

 cages, to put a bit of wool or flannel into their dormitory 

 instead of hay, which sometimes becomes twisted round their 

 necks and strangles them."* 



Great numbers of squirrels are kept as pets, by the Londoners 

 more especially. A dealer in animals assured Mr. Herbert, that 

 not less than twenty thousand squirrels are annually sold in the 

 metropolis, some of which are imported from France, though 

 the majority are British ; that he himself had sold annually 

 about seven hundred ; that four or five hundred might be 

 bought in Newgate and Leadenhall Markets during a good 

 season j but that about once in seven years the breed entirely 

 fails, though in other seasons they are generally prolific. The 

 mere manufacture of the cages in which these animals are kept, 

 forms no small concern. They are generally provided with a 

 chamber, which revolves with every movement of the squirrel 

 when it enters it. 



" The squirrel spends his little rage, 

 In jumping round a rowling cage. 

 The cage, as either side turns up, 

 Striking a ring of bells a-top 



* Field Naturalist's Magazine (1834), vol. ii. p. 160. 



