SMALL FOLK WITH LIVELY FEET. 271 



in midsummer when it is too troublesome to go 

 around. Eut I notice that he avoids the colder water 

 of the river. The forest he claims for his own, and 

 any one who dares to disturb its quiet and seclusion 

 he hails with a storm of chattering, whistling invec- 

 tive, the meaning of which may be fairly summed up 

 into two words — " Get out ! " His squeaky voice, not 

 very different in tone and quality 



" The wrathful creature jerks fetirfully." 



from the raspings of an old violin in the hands of 

 an amateur, strikes harshly upon the ear. All the 

 while the body of the wrathful creature jerks fear- 

 fully from head to tail ! 



The nest of the red squirrel is usually in the hole 

 of a tree ; sometimes, farther South, it is constructed 

 of soft, shreddy bark, and hidden in the thick upper 

 branches of the spruce or the red cedar ; in this case 

 it is spherical, and the opening is near the bottom. 

 The female bears from four to six young about the 

 first of April. She has few enemies to fear, the 

 owl and the hawk being the only ones of serious con- 

 sequence. 



