The Squirrel Tribe. 13 



It is not generally known that squirrels can use 

 their paws as paddles, and by their aid swim to con- 

 siderable distances. 



In some parts of the eastern coasts of Scotland, 

 where innumerable armlets of the sea run many miles 

 inland, the squirrels are in the habit of swimming 

 across from shore to shore, and making rapid progress 

 through the water. A friend was an eye-witness of 

 this habit. Being in a boat, he came upon the little 

 creature as it was swimming, and took it into the boat. 



As it was tired with its journey, it allowed itself to 

 be caught without any difficulty. But as soon as it 

 felt itself rested, it sprang back into the water and 

 swam steadily to land 



Leaving this country for America, we find there are 

 many kinds of squirrels found in that country, several 

 of which are very interesting. For example, there is 

 the Grey Squirrel (Sciurus dnereus) of North America, 

 which is extremely abundant, and often works very 

 great damage to the growing crops. In Pennsylvania, 

 more than a century ago, these animals were found to 

 be so very destructive that a Government reward of 

 threepence per head was offered for all that were 

 killed. In a single year, a sum of no less than ^8000 

 was expended in redeeming this promise, which gives 

 a grand total of 640,000 squirrels destroyed. 



Now, although these animals wrought such terrible 

 mischief to the agriculturist, and by their numbers 

 and perseverance ruined the result of his labours, in 

 their native forests they were in their proper situation, 

 doing the work for which they were sent into the 

 world. But as soon as man arrived upon the scene, 

 cleared away the jungle, and laid out the ground for 

 cultivation, he upset the balance of nature : the 

 squirrels were no longer required, and became a 

 plague instead of a benefit, making it necessary to 



