LITTLE BEASTS OF FIELD AND WOOD 



spread well apart and. the white fur puffing out 

 between them. This movement is so habitual 

 with the red squirrel that any one who cares to 

 may see the performance by observing those he 

 may happen to see in the woods or by the road- 

 side. If they would only occasionally clap both 

 hands to their breasts, it would make a much 

 more attractive picture; but this I have never 

 seen them do. 



Like the blue jay, the red squirrel is always 

 eager for excitement of any sort, but he has the 

 advantage of not being compelled to wait for 

 circumstances to furnish him with an excuse for 

 getting up a racket. As a general thing, when 

 the blue jays begin shrieking and scolding there 

 is pretty sure to be something at the bottom of 

 it, though it may not be of any great importance ; 

 and for that matter I have no positive evidence 

 that the red squirrel ever creates a disturbance 

 without having some object or other to shower his 

 anger upon. But he has a way of choosing such 



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