Notes and Comments 
THREE MORE— 
damp is injurious to him, and would give 
him stiff legs or rheumatism. During most 
of the day he has the run of the green- 
houses (in one of which his cage is kept), 
where he thoroughly enjoys himself, and 
speedily made himself a hole in a corner by 
the hot-water pipes. Here he will sleep, 
curled up in a ball, as often as not on 
his head. His food 
is Indian corn, also 
wheat, barley, and all 
sorts of grain, and he 
will eat biscuits and 
small nuts, almonds, 
sultanas, etc.; but his 
ereat treat 1s ginger- 
bread in any form, 
over which he is most 
desperately greedy. 
He will get on my 
shoulder, when I am sitting on the ground, in 
order to get a better view of any possible hiding 
place for the dainty, and will try and force open 
the tin from which he has seen me take it. The 
only green food I have ever been able to 
persuade him to eat is green peas, and these 
he soon became very fond of; he had to be 
taught to open the pods, and I shall be 
curious to see if he remembers this next 
“summer, as it was evidently quite a new idea 
to him. He is certainly possessed of some 
memory, as, if taken back to a place he has 
not visited for many weeks, he makes at 
‘once for his old play-places, and remembers 
all the objects that interested him . before. 
Though tolerably active when awake, his 
chief pleasure in life seems to be (ext to 
gingercake) sleep. He is not a nocturnal 
animal, but is always ready for a slumber if 
—POSES OF— 
All 
anyone will be so kind as to place their lap 
at his disposal. To see him rise from his 
bed in the morning with many yawns and 
walk all round his cage stretching himself is 
most ludicrous. Recently a stock dove, 
recovering from a broken wing, came to 
share ‘Jacky’s’ greenhouse. They were 
both let out for a walk together. ‘Jacky’ 
stood up on his hind legs and stared long 
and fixedly at the new-comer. ‘The pigeon 
sat sulky, and evidently thought him rude.. 
But when ‘ Jacky’s’ curiosity led him closer, 
he was repulsed with loud hisses and violent 
pecks in his direction. Now ‘Jacky’ ignores 
the pigeon’s presence, but if he goes too 
close the latter’s wrath is instantly aroused. 
Altogether the fan-tailed squirrel is a most 
charming pet, and only needs to be wider 
known to become a universal favourite. He 
is easily tamed and very intelligent, and 
seems able to dis- 
tinguish words to a 
certain extent. 
‘Ginger-biscuit’ 1s 
the one word that 
will arouse him from 
the sweetest sleep 
when all other coax- 
ings fail. Itisamusing 
to see the little ball 
suddenly uncurl at 
that attractive sound. 
He answers to his name and is fairly obedient, 
though he has quite sufficient sense (!) to wait 
till no one is looking and go back to his little 
sins. He never utters except to show annoy- 
ance by a squeak, or terror by a succession of 
sounds 2uriously like a fit of human sneezing.” 
—THE QPAN-TAILED SQUIRREL. 
