Mr Harvie-Brovm on the Squirrel in Great Britain. 171 



place to read pp. 7-13 of the Introduction to Mr Skene's work 

 {pp. cit), descriptive of the great natural features of Scotland. 

 I would also recommend an examination of the county maps 

 published in the " New Statistical Account," to those who de- 

 sire to follow, as I have done, the minute details of their ad- 

 vance. In these maps the parishes are all distinctly shown.* 



Every one agrees apparently in the marvellous rapidity 

 with which the species increased in various parts of Scotland, 

 especially within the last fifty or sixty years. The planting 

 of wood, as we have already seen, was the chief factor in 

 their advance, which advance resulted from the increase of their 

 numbers, influenced and brought about by the increased area 

 of suitable food. It is only necessary further to say as regards 

 their increase, that statistics will be found in the preceding 

 pages, which it is unnecessary here to repeat. 



We have discussed already the effects of severe winters 

 upon their numbers under Part II. (antea, p. 40). A succes- 

 sion of such, doubtless, would decrease their numbers to quite 

 an appreciable extent, or, at all events, drive them by local 

 migration to seek the warmer shelter of the great pine forests. 



FOOD AND DAMAGE DONE TO TKEES AND FORESTS. 



Perhaps the earliest notice taken of the destructive habits 

 of the squirrel in Scotland is in a letter to the Editor of the 

 Farmers Magazine (vol. iii., p. 14, 1802), in which the neces- 

 sity of " destroying, instead of fostering," squirrels is pointed 

 out ; and, as already noticed, the restoration of the species at 

 Dalkeith is mentioned. Since that time innumerable com- 

 plaints have been made, and letters written, and means taken 

 for their destruction. Unanimously, my correspondents 

 condemn the squirrel as one of the most destructive animals 

 which frequent our forests. Scarcely one has a good word to 

 say for it in this respect, and it would, I imagine, be very 

 difficult to undertake, with any chance of success, a case in 

 defence of it. So abundant, indeed, is the proof given of its 

 destructiveness, and, I may add, so patent is the destruction 



* For a short account of the plantiriEC ^vllich took place between 1750 and 

 1806, see "Notes and Sketches of Northern Rural Life," pp. 102, 103. 



