The Gray Squirrel 47 



tions his experiments with some squirrels which fre- 

 quented a box of nuts that his father suppHed for 

 them during the winter. As I have never myself 

 observed this, I wish to quote from this eminent 

 authority: 



"They were extremely fond of music, and it affected 

 them in a peculiar manner. Some were not only 

 fascinated, but actually spellbound, by the music -box 

 or guitar. And one particularly weak minded indi- 

 vidual was so unrefined in his taste that if I advanced 

 slowly, whistling 'Just before the Battle, Mother,' 

 in as pathetic a tone as I could muster for the occa- 

 sion, he would permit me even to stroke his back, 

 sometimes expressing his pleasure by making a low 

 purring sound. This was a Gray, and I several times 

 approached and stroked him as above described. I 

 once succeeded in getting near enough to a Black to 

 touch him, whereupon he instantly came to his senses 

 and fled. When listening to music, they all acted in 

 very much the same way. They all sat bolt upright, 

 inclining a little forward (and if eating a nut, were 

 sure to drop it), letting the fore paws hang listlessly 

 over the breast, and, turning the head to one side in 

 a bewildered sort of a way, assumed a most idiotic 

 expression." 



From August until November we may become 



