THE SQUIRREL 
137 
fed them many times, and they were very tame." 
“Do they eat all the time, Uncle Ely?" Buck asked. 
“No. They store much of their food for winter. 
In hollow trees, knot holes, burrows, or other hiding 
places, you can find the squirrels" winter storehouses. 
Acorns and wild nuts of all kinds are hidden there. 
In winter food may be hard to find. Then the squir¬ 
rels eat what they have stored during summer and 
fall." 
Buck walked slowly under the nearby trees, and 
presently said that not all of the squirrels were alike. 
Some had darker fur than others. 
“There are several kinds of squirrels,"" Uncle Ely 
explained. “Some are gray, some are more nearly 
brown or red, some nearly black, and some have 
larger tails than others. All of them are what we 
call gnawers. That is, they gnaw their food, as do 
gophers and beavers. They have sharp little claws 
which help them to climb, and to hold food while 
they eat. Did you notice how they held the nuts and 
other tidbits to their mouths with their front feet?"" 
“Yes, sir," said Ginger. 
“All squirrels eat that way. Their jaws and teeth 
are very strong. They can crack hard nuts that you 
could not crack with your teeth."" 
