Daily Yellowstone journal., 1892-03-25
YOUNG SQUIRRELS.

Cnt' morning in tho middle Of d.
tol,cr observed that Il t;!ni,y Of
four yuull% squirrels wis ventln'in4
forth from II l'ox just outside MY
study window. THEY were not moro
than six Weeks old, ami were very
titnil. It was not often that moro
tlun two Or three would appear ut
once. and one Ut these seemed much
further advanced than the rest, while
another WIS very hllyi>h. Their
prime characteristic was inuui>ltivc.
HESS. What II tine and curious new
world WIS this they had ltcn intro
ductu to- How much there WIS to
SIC: How many delightful things
to to!
They c&slsclcssly investigated every
thi11, about them with minute atten.
ton, AND had very pretty ways. such
us il habit Ut cluspin* each other in
their arms around the neck. They
frequently scratched and stl'oktd one
another, Ouct I saw ONO diligently
conbin@ t,nothcr's tail with his fore
feet. Young red squirrels, Of which
we also ha'l a family or two. play
somewhat differently. having n pc
culiar way Ut regularly boxing with
their lore paws.
Gradually they gain strength ami
confidence, and then you will set
how fur the liveliness Of the young
can surpa<s even the tilvles> activity
Ut old squirrels. Both old and young
a1e exceedingly fond of play, spring
ing from the ground as it in high
jumping match and turning regular
Sn1l1t1$l1lltS; but the most amusing
thing is this: Finding Il place wllcr,
the tip OF Il tough branch hangs al
most to the ground they will lcal
up AMI catch it, sometimes with only
one hand, and then swing back aud
forth with the greatest ylec, just like
boys who discover Il grapevine in the
woods or dangling rope in IL gym.
nasirun. These and 1nuny similar
nntics seem to he done Just for fun
The kittens continue to be nursed
by the mother until they have grown
to be almost as heavy as herself. It
seems impossible that her system can
stand such drain--in fact. she does /
grow weak and thin-and my neigh
bor, who has been an extremely
close observer of their economy fol
several years, has come to the con
clusion that the mother weans the
kittens gradually by giving them
t>Hnl which she regurgitated. or, ut
any rate, has thoroughly cllewed NJ |
i'll her own mouth.
No animal is more mothcrly than
one OF these parent squirrels, and it
il delightful to watch her lH.havio1
when the nearly grown brood l:a:
begun to make short excursions aud
is undergoing instruction. All the
other families in the grove take an
in the proceedings and clat-
ter about ut great rate; but 1t one
comes too near and attempts any in
reference i'll the instruction, he is
likely to be driven away most viEo".
ously by the jealous mother. Every
lessons in climbing and nut
are given, and pretty scenes
arc enacted. The pride of the little
mother us she leads her train out Oh
some aerial path is very noticeable.
They are Slow and tinil about fol-
lowing. Squirrels must learn to bnl
ancc themselves on the pii&nt limbs
by slow degrees.
It is many IL long day after they
are able tn clluse one another up and
Town and nu'ler aud around a rough
oak trunk III the livcliest yunlc IF tug
yer witnessed before they can skip
lbout the branches aud leap from
one tn another with confidence IN
heir security. The patient mother
Understands this. and encourages
hem very gently tn TRY, try again
remember one such lesson. The
I'D one marched ahead slowly. utter.
ng low notes, as it to say: "Come
III. my clears. Don't be afraid"
Every little while she would stop,
ind the two we'll grown children fol-
owing would creep up to her, and
tut their arms around her neck in
he most human fashion. as if pro-
esting that it was almost too hard
ask.
This loving kindness Is extended to
'ther young squirrels whenever no
question Of family rivalry intcrferes
Ernest 1ngersoll in Harpers.
The Word "AvGruEr."