236 Handbook of Nature-Slvidy 



where he puts it. We often find his winter stores untouched the next 

 summer. He also likes birds' eggs and nestlings, and if it were not for 

 the chastisement he gets from the parent robins, he would work m.uch 

 damage in this way. 



The squirrel is likely to be a luxurious fellow and have a winter and a 

 summer home. The former is in some hollow tree or other protected 

 place ; the summer home consists of a platform of twigs in some tree-top, 

 often built upon an abandoned crow or hawk nest; but just how he uses 

 these two homes, is as yet, a matter of guessing and is a good subject for 

 young naturalists to investigate. During the winter, he does not remain 

 at home except in coldest weather, when he lies cozily with his tail 

 wrapped around him like a boa to keep him warm. He is too full of 

 interest in the world to lie quietly long, but comes out, hunts up some of 

 his stores, and finds life worth while despite the cold. One squirrel 

 adopted a bird house in one of our trees, and he or his kin have lived there 

 for years; in winter, be takes his share of the suet put on the trees for 

 birds, and because of his greediness, we have been compelled to use picture 

 wire for tying on the suet. 



The young are born in a protected nest, usually in the hollow of a tree. 

 There are four to six young in a litter and they appear in April. If 

 necessary to move the young, the mother carries the squirrel baby cling- 

 ing to her breast with its arms around her neck. 



The squirrel has several ways of expressing his emotions; one is by 

 various curves in his long beautiful, bushy tail. If the creatures of the 

 wood had a stage, the squirrel would have to be their chief actor. Sur- 

 prise, incredulousness, indignation, fear, anger and joy are all perfectly 

 expressed by tail gestures and also by voice. As a vocalist he excels ; he 

 chatters with curiosity, "chips" with surprise, scolds by giving a gutteral 

 trill, finishing with a falsetto squeal. He is the only singer I know who 

 can carry two parts at a time. Notice him sometimes in the top of a 

 hickory or chestnut tree when nuts are ripe, and you will hear him singing 

 a duet all by himself, a high shrill chatter with a chuckling accompani- 

 ment. Long may he abide with us as an uninvited guest at our cribs! 

 For, though he be a freebooter and conscienceless, yet our world would 

 lack its highest example of incarnate grace and activity, if he were not 

 in it. 



LESSON LVII 

 The Red Squirrel or Chickaree 



Leading thought — The red squirrel by its agility and cleverness has 

 lived on, despite its worst enemy — man. By form and color and activity 

 it is fitted to elude the hunter. 



Method — If a pet squirrel in a cage can be procured for observation at 

 the school, the observations on the form and habits of the animal can be 

 best studied thus; but a squirrel in a cage is an anomaly and it is far 

 better to stimulate the pupils to observe the squirrels out of doors. Give 

 the following questions, a few at a time, and ask the pupils to report the 

 answers to the entire class. Much should be done with the supplemen- 

 tary reading, as there are many interesting squirrel stories illustrating its 

 habits. _ — 



