378 FANCIERS’ 
JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 

Smart Pet DepaRqment- 
4a All communications and contributions intended for this depart- 
ment should be addressed to HOWARD I. IRELAND, Concordville, 
Delaware County, Pa. 

(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
SQUIRRELS. 
Or all the four-footed inhabitants of our woods, from the 
fleet-footed deer down to the winter-sleeping wood-mouse, 
perhaps no one of them is so much admired on account of 
the gracefulness of its shape, or the beauty and softness of 
its fur, as the Squirrel. Every variety of this species comes 
in for a share of this dangerous popularity; fatal alike to 
their liberty and happiness. One of the principal reasons 
why Squirrels are so universally sought for as pets is because 
they are so easily tamed, and of so little trouble after being 
domesticated. 
Each hickory-nut, chestnut, and oak grove is generally 
inhabited by some variety of these semi-wild rodents; while 
nearly every stone wall throughout the State of Pennsyl- 
vania is tenanted by Ground Hackies and Chick-er-ees. So 
abundant in some sections of the State are the last two va- 
rieties that they are a nuisance to the farmer, and are shot 
and trapped without compunction. 
Sometimes Squirrels are captured when young by persons 
possessing large yards, kept until tame, and then liberated. 
They seldom return to their native haunts, but remain about 
the house of their master, building their nests in the trees of 
the yard, and soon becoming so accustomed to the sight of 
man as to descend from the trees and take nuts from his 
hand. 
Squirrels belong to the Rodentia, or gnawing animals; 
so called because of the habit of gnawing or cutting into 
fine particles the substances upon which they feed. They 
live in spring on buds and young shoots, and the nuts left 
of last Autumn’s gathering; during the summer on numer- 
ous forest fruits and the cones of the pine; but autumn is 
their feeding and harvesting time; then the little harvesters, 
as soon as the first frosts open the burrs and hulls, congregate 
in immense numbers to gather these nuts for winter use, 
when the trees shall refuse them sustenance. They now 
become quite fat, and hundreds of them fall beneath the gun 
of the sportsman to grace the table of the epicure. Their 
flesh is pronounced exquisite in quality and delicious in 
flavor, especially that of the gray Sguirrel. 
During the winter they generally live in hollow trees, 
so as to be protected from the cold storms; but as soon as 
the fickle smile of spring becomes fixed they venture forth, 
and construct a nest in the branches of trees. The place 
generally selected for this purpose is a stout branch where it 
joins the stump; or oftentimes the fork of two branches. 
The nest is constructed of twigs and leaves, and the inner 
part is lined with fine grass or moss. It is shaped like an 
orange, more or less flat at the top and bottom, and at the 
top or side is asmall aperture, barely large enough to admit 
the body of the little animal. This opening is often, though 
not always, shaped like a cone, and so arranged as to ef- 
fectually exclude the most violent summer rains. Besides 
this nest the Squirrel has a store-house for nuts and acorns, 
generally in the same tree in which the nest is built. These 
hoarded provisions are used only when all other food fails. 
About the first of May, in a nest as described above, the 
female brings forth her young, from four to five in number. 

These are carefully nursed and cared for by her until they 
are able to provide for themselves. Squirrels have but one 
litter yearly, and they seldom breed in confinement. 
Their paws are furnished with sharp nails, adapted for 
rapid climbing. The tail is long and bushy, and is, indeed, 
the largest part of them. It answers the purpose of an um- 
brella to keep the sun and rain off; and, it is also said, that 
when desiring to cross a stream they will get on & chip, ele- 
vate their tail, and let the wind waft them to the opposite 
shore. The following anecdote from Goldsmith’s Animated 
Nature will illustrate this more clearly: 
‘In Lapland the Squirrels change their habitations, and 
remove in vast numbers from one country to another. The 
Squirrels, upon approaching the banks of a river, and per- 
ceiving the breadth of the water, return, as if by common 
consent, into the neighboring forest, each in quest of a piece 
of bark, which answers all the purposes of boats for wafting 
them over. When the whole company are fitted in this man- 
ner they boldly commit their little boats to the waves, every 
Squirrel sitting on its own piece of bark, and fanning the air 
with its tail to drive the vessel to the desired port. In this or- 
derly manner they boldly set forward, But it too often hap- 
pens that the poor mariners are not aware of the dangers of 
their navigation, for although the edge of the water is gener- 
ally calm, in the midst it is always more turbulent. There 
the slightest additional gust of wind oversets the little sailor 
and his vessel together. The whole navy, that but a few 
minutes before rode proudly and securely along, is now 
overturned, and a shipwreck of two or three thousand sails 
ensues. ‘This, which is so unfortunate for the little animal, 
is generally the most lucky accident in the world for the 
Laplander on the shore, who gathers up the dead bodies as 
they are thrown in by the waves, eats the flesh, and sells the 
skins for about a shilling the dozen.” 
GRAY SQUIRREL. 
The different varieties of Squirrels are numerous. Among 
the most common is the Gray Squirrel, which, in the days of 
our grandfathers, were so plentiful that they committed 
great devastation on the corn, often destroying whole crops. 
But now they are quite scarce, though they are yet to be oc- 
casionally found in the woods. This is the kind generally kept 
for @ pet, and for game is more esteemed than any other on 
account of the delicate flavor of its flesh. In the fall of the 
year, when chestnuts are ripe, they become very fat, and 
it is then they are shot for the table and the market. 
They are about the size of a half-grown wild rabbit. Their 
fur is long, soft, and of a grayish color; it is sometimes used 
for making ladies’ furs. The tail is covered with long gray 
hairs, often variegated near the extremity. A similar va 
riety is found in the north of Europe. It is easily tamed, 
and makes a most playful and mischievous pet. 
FOX SQUIRREL. 
/ 
The Fox Squirrel is found in the pine forests of the 
Southern States. The color is black and gray, or oftentimes 
mottled, and some have white noses. It often reaches a 
length (including tail) of thirty-five inches, and is the largest 
variety in the United States, with the exception of a kind 
of Gray Squirrel found in Virginia. It is not often confined 
as a pet. 
CAT SQUIRREL. 
A variety of Squirrel, called the Cat Squirrel, is found in 
the thick forests of the north. The fur of this Squirrel is 
