St. Landry democrat., 1892-10-29
OVERRUN WITH SQUIRRELS.
New York's Central Park Oyerrun
With the Rodents.

Central Park is the great squirrel cen
tire of the country, and probably more of
the little rodents are found to the square
acre in this public pleasure ground than
in their most favorite haunts among the
wild nut groves. The exact number has
never been accurately ascertained, but
irregular attempts to take their census
have resulted in the remarkable disclos-
ure of population running UP into the
thousands
The gray squirrel colony increases rap
idly every year. So tame and lively do
they become in early spring when hunt
ing for food that they will often approach
visitors to the Park and almost beg for
food. If nut is thrown to them, they
will approach within half dozen feet to
get it, and then run away to some tree
to nibblc it.
During their breeding season they are
very wary and sly. They seldom ap-
proach their nests directly, but run up
neighboring trees, and jump from branch
to branch until they have completely be-
widered those below. Their antics at
such times are of great interest to all pc
destrians When the young ones are first
able to run about, the park is full of
small families wandering over the fields
in search of nuts.
At one time the common gray squirrels
were so abundant in the Eastern States
that they wee considered a scourge by
the farmers, and heavy premiums We're
offered for their d. Instruction. They de-
stroyed grain crops as we'll as fruit Or
chards; but gunners aud sportsmen have
long since reduced their numbers SO that
it is rarely one finds large colony of
them in any woods.
1t is doubtful if many birds could
breed in the Park owing to the presence
of so many squirrels, for the rodents are
passionateIy fond of eggs. They will
not only eat the eggs in the nest, but
they will often destroy the young birds
themselves. making it almost impossible
for brood to reach maturity. Although
the park is the great resort for song
birds, it is a strange fact that compare
lively few of them nest there, although
they would not be disturbed by the peo-
pie who visit the place, 1t is very proba-
BILE that there is some connection between
the presence of the gray squirrel In the
park and the noted absence of many birds
nests.
The gray squirrels are in their natural
haunts in this central portion of the city.
Long before the park was laid out, this
whole upper section Of Manhattan Island
was the home and resort of the squirrels
and birds. They were then only disturbed
by the hunters, but their numbers in this
way were kept down. When the park
was laid out, few old couples remained
in it, and finally the city grew around
the place so that they could not retreat
further north They were then hemmed
in on every side; but as protection was
extended to them by the Park Board,
their numbers rapidly increased, until to-
day the colony is about the largest in this
country.
The rodents are great additions to the
park, and their presence is always to be
desired. They give an interest to the
scene, even in midwinter, and it would
be great loss to have them sacrificed to
any prejudiced notion. They do little
or no damage to the trees, and there are
no fruits or grain fields for them to de-
stroy.-[G. E. Walsh, in Harper's Week