Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1862-11-21
The Gray Squirrel.

The gray squirrel is one of the naos'
beautiful and graceful of The inhabitants of
our forests, in which it generally makes its
hone, hardly ever renturing from them un.
less occasionally, when the inaian corn IS
ripe, it enters the fields to add little to It's
winter store of Rutss the amount which it
pliers could hardly be missed, however, IN
less the Eeld Should happen to be in on near
the woods.
1t prefers forests of chesinets or oaks,
in which its winter store can De readily col
lected. The first heavy frost is the signal
for this work TO commence, and the drop
ping of the clfestnuts and acorns which the
frost has loosened, accompanied by the
rustling of the squirrel through lhe newly
fallen leaves as it gathers the nuts together,
and carefully deposits them in hollow trees
and creviees OF rocks. or buries them in
some secure place beneath the leaves
are the sounds most intimately connected
with our woods in the autumn season.
The sumraer nest IS built in sorse tai
tree, at the junction of several limbs witt
the trunk. 1t is composed Of sticks ane
leaves, and is lined with soft grass and ferns
in tits the yenng are reared and I've viii
the frraale till they are old enough to shift
for themselves. AT the approach of win
| ter, some hollow in tree is selected, some
times the abandoaed ne { of woodpeckeT
| in which a warm nest is built, composed o
grass and soft leaves this is the winter
home Of usually the whole family. II
early spring the Young are driven off b,
the old ones, who soon build the summer
uest, ia which to rear another family. Tht
1 young, after being driven off, soon pair, an,
in their turn become heads Of families.
The habits of this animal are very inter
esting You may be walking through tn
woods, and shortly you hear what you a
first think to be the barking Of small dog
on listening you discover your mistake; tn
abrupt nctes qua que, with chattering gut
tural additions proceed from the tidl tire
f few rods from you; you cautiously stea
on tip toe to the foet Of the tree, bat do nc
, see the animal, even after looking CAREFUL
on every side. You kno@ the little iello'
. is there for be could not possibly have &c
out Of the tree unless you had seen hiu
, Now, if yoa go close TO the tree, and ste
quickly, you wia see him whisk suddenl
t. the opposite side from you, where he
now closely hugging the tree, and perfect
, motionles$; your interest has now becom
) awakened, yoa are curious TO see more
, him; very well, you must retire a few rod
E and remain perfectly sill. Ycu had bette
| take comfortable seat, for he will not moy
while you are near the tree. Presently yo
see his head, with its bright eyes. slowl
f moving around to the side where you are
this Is the first reconnoitering movemen
\ If you remain perfectly still, he will SOC
/ take his position on limb, where, jerkin
his tail and fiaunting it in conscious secur
2 ty. he gives vent 10 his satisfaction at yor
n removal in series of chai,ering bark
1 which are answered, perhaps, by oth'
Y squirrels that you had no thought were
\ the neighborhocds soon one of them, vii
challenging bark or chatter, chases ano,l
er, and shortly three or focr Of them a.
= :
!, scampering aboat, running through the fal
+ en- leaves and up aad down the trees
: high sport; presently one of them, escal
O ing from the others. comes suddenly ne;
II yous with 2 shriH whistle Of astonishnel
e he scampers up the neares, tree, and Is soc
a as eff.c;uslly concesled as all the o,he
A we're the instant he gave the alarm fC
may as well retire now, for you will s.
! nothing more Of them. IS long As you r
> main near, they viii oct budge foot.