SQ UIRRELS AND RATS AS EGG EATERS. 145 



the contrary. I was one day out birds' nest- 

 ing with my boys. We came on a thrush's 

 nest in a pretty high tree. It was no sooner 

 spied than up went one of the youngsters, re- 

 gardless of a new pair of knickerbockers, and 

 the inevitable rowing papa would receive for 

 allowing "such pranks." There was one egg 

 in it, which I persuaded them to leave, promis- 

 ing to come again in three or four days, when 

 there would be more. Day after day I was tor- 

 mented, till at last, in self-defence, I was forced 

 to take them to the thrush's nest. Watching 

 the lad climb the tree, I was somewhat aston- 

 ished to see a squirrel jump from it, with an egg 

 in its mouth, which it dropped in its fright ; 

 all the other eggs had been sucked. This 

 is, I think, a further and pretty convincing 

 proof. 



I was mentioning the fact a few days ago to a 

 keeper, and he assured me the squirrel is an in- 

 veterate egg eater. " Darned little brutes," he 

 said, "they be pretty enough, but they likes 

 pheasant's eggs too much to please I. Going my 

 beat this ere last breeding season, I was obleeged 

 to fire away at these infernal little warmint, as 



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