62 The Flying Squirrel 



Again they wovld vary the entertainment by one doing 

 the work and the other the riding. In fact they were 

 apparently upon the lookout for new methods and 

 combinations of revolving the wheel, and thus we 

 were treated to a continuous and varied performance. 

 A single incident is sufficient to illustrate their 

 love for a new amusement. One evening I placed 

 in their cage two small apples. Upon awakening 

 the squirrels discovered the apples, and one of them 

 began to nibble at the fruit. The other squirrel ap- 

 proached the one eating the apple, who, to avoid 

 being disturbed, immediately carried the apple into 

 the wheel to complete his feast. In some manner 

 the wheel began to revolve, and the bounding of the 

 apple on the wire bars so amused the squirrel that 

 he forgot his hunger, and began a play entirely new 

 to him. Soon the other squirrel was attracted by the 

 lively noise produced by the apple striking on the 

 bars, and he joined his comrade in the wheel, and 

 a rollicking time they had of it, jumping and bounding 

 over the apple, while the wheel was rapidly revolving. 

 This was the beginning of what proved to be great 

 sport for the squirrels. After this it was not unusual 

 for them to have two or three large nuts in the wheel, 

 and when the wheel revolved somewhat of a medley 

 resulted. 



