118 



sought for food. On warm days in winter he comes 

 out from his snug little abode to look around and 

 get fresh air and sunshine. A pretty sight is to see 

 him sit in the fork of a tree with a nut betw^een his 

 paws, eating and throwing down the hulls as he goes. 

 Usually where there is a squirrel retreat the ground is 

 litterally covered with hulls. Think of him eating 

 through the hard shells of the hickory nut. His teeth 

 are especially adapted for the purpose, as the beaver, 

 its teeth being fitted for hard and incessant gnawing 

 which they undergo in cutting down the trees with 

 which they build their homes. When near enough 

 their abodes, in winter they will come near a dwelling 

 to procure an apple core or other object which may be 

 thrown away. 



The red squirrel is considerably smaller than its gray 

 cousin, and is of a rusty red color. The tail is not so 

 large and bushy; the breast is grayish white. He is 

 not lacking in activity or climbing powers, and is full 

 of play and fun, but has also a share of querulous tem- 

 per, being somewhat spiteful sometimes. He is a 

 source of trouble to birds. Often have I seen a robin 

 chase him around and around the trunk of a tree, the 

 bird no doubt being in a high sta.te of excitement and 

 anger, while the squirrel takes the whole as a matter 

 of fun, and of course gets the best of the bird every 

 time, owing to his agility. Squirrels often feed on 

 pine trees in summer, finding plenty of food by de- 

 vouring the young cones. They make a great dirt 

 under the trees throwing down the main stem of the 

 cone, together with the gnawed seed vessels. This is 

 the greatest animal for chattering,, almost equal to the 



