14 WILD NEIGHBORS CHAP. 
more than double their numbers every six 
months. 
The explanation is that the young leave us on 
coming to maturity. As a rule, their family had 
moved from the house where they were born to 
new quarters as soon as the young could take care 
of themselves, and here a new litter would soon be 
forthcoming. 
These family flittings are often amusing specta- 
cles. Sometimes the mother transports her kit- 
tens when blind and hairless, carrying them in her 
teeth; but generally she waits until they are able 
to travel. I recall one instance where early in the 
morning a mother had got her kittens down from 
the old nest to the end of a bridge that ran across 
to the chinquapin, in which her new home was to 
be. But to go out on that bridge was too much 
for the youngsters. She would run ahead, and 
one or two of them would creep after her a few 
yards, then suddenly become panic-stricken and 
scramble back. Again and again did the little 
mother, with endless patience and pains, counsel 
and entice them, until at last one was induced to 
keep a stout heart until he was safely over. Then 
ensued another interval of chattering and repeated 
trials and failures, and so the second and third were 
finally got across. It was now noon, and the poor 
squirrel looked quite fagged out, her ears drooped, 
her fur was ruffled, her movements had lost their 
verve, her tail hung low, and her cries became 
