402 Animal Life 
disinfectant soaps, in 
order that any unpleasant 
odours may be kept 
under, and that the cage 
itself may be kept clean 
and wholesome. If this 
be done regularly, no 
smell will be apparent 
and the squirrels will 
always be a credit to 
their owner; of course, 
advantage must be taken 
of the animals bemg in 
the sleeping-box to per- 
form these operations. A 
portion of a tree branch 
may be placed diagonally 
in the cage leading up 
to the retiring - chamber. 
The food vessels are 
preferably of white 
earthenware. 
The staple diet of all 
squirrels should be nuts, oe : 
greens, fruit, dates, bread BROAD-TAILED SQUIRREL 
and grains, such as corn 
or oats. The plantain squirrel is very partial to dates and grapes, but all species should 
be provided with an unlimited supply of nuts or other hard-kernelled fruits, as unless 
they are freely supplied with food of this nature squirrels rarely live long in captivity. 
Many people give food of a sloppy description, but this forms a most unsuitable diet, 
and the drier the food is the better; a ship’s biscuit is much relished by many species ; 
some squirrels will eat, and indeed are fond of, animal food, but this is another thing 
that 1s better avoided altogether. 
One of the very prettiest of the small flying squirrels is the American species, 
Sciuropterus volucella, which, when taken young, can be readily and quickly tamed, 
and makes one of the most charming pets imaginable, and is said—and the writer's 
experience confirms the statement—to become the most tame and confiding of all 
wild animals in the shortest time. 
Squirrels do not often suffer from many illnesses in confinement, the commonest 
complaint being of worms in the intestinal tracts; and whenever this state of things is 
found to exist, a little areca nut daily for a fortnight will be found of great benefit. 
Another good remedy is a few drops of oil of turpentine stirred up in about half a 
teaspoonful of castor oil; olive oil may be used if the other be unobtainable. It is 
best given in the form of an emulsion by being beaten up with the yolk of a 
new-laid egg; this makes it more palatable and more easily given to the animal than 
otherwise, as it can be spread on some small pieces of lunch or other sweet biscuit. 
It often happens that if there be no wood in the cage for them to gnaw at, the, 
incisors or front chisel-edged teeth will grow to an abnormal length. In such a case, 
something hard must be given for them to gnaw at, such as cocoanut shells. Most 
squirrels die from inflammation of the lungs, and this, generally speaking, is incurable, 
the suffering animal only living but a short time, usually three or four days. Although 
