1 54 The Red Squirrel 



Although the chickaree is so good a provider, food 

 sometimes becomes extremely scarce in the spring, and 

 his hunger drives him to drink. He does not slake 

 his thirst at the mountain stream, however; he taps 

 a maple tree and later on a birch. With his sharp 

 chisel-like teeth he makes an incision in the bark, 

 either upon the tree trunk or upon the limb. If a 

 little cavity is so situated that the sap collects in it, 

 it pleases him all the better, for the task is lighter, 

 and then he has more time to attend to the affairs of 

 his neighbors, — and a most inveterate gossip is the 

 red squirrel! I wonder if the sapsucker taught him 

 to tap the trees, or did he teach the sapsucker ? The 

 Indians probably learned this from one or the other, 

 or from hoth. 



As to homes — sometimes the chickaree builds in 

 a tree top a summer house similar to that of the 

 gray; but unlike the gray he occasionally passes the 

 winter in his summer home, for he seems to be able 

 to endure severe cold weather. Twenty or thirty 

 degrees below zero does not appear to inconvenience 

 him in the least, and even at this low temperature 

 he will play and frisk gaily about in the light snow. 

 He makes the most of the few hours of daylight, being 

 abroad at nearly all times of the day, but retiring 

 early. In summer, however, especially in the busy 



