The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-06-30

of the blossoms-handful is most appropri-
ate in this instance-and tasted them. APP
parently he liked the flower. He ate all
| that lay on the ground. Then he stood
| up and considered. At last he dropped on
all fours, and, running to tall thistle
| stalk, surveyed it earnestly. 1t was fully
| four feet high, thicker than mans thumb
and bore several blossoms at the very top
Reaching upward as far as he could, the
| ground squirrel clasped the stem with his
| fore paws and pulled. After four attempts
| he succeeded in bending the stalk a little.
Then he took fresh hold, further up,
and pulled again until he could reach one
of the blossoms, when he bit it neatly off,
and, allowing the thistle stalk to fly back
| to an upright position, he settled himself
to leisurely discussion of his well-earned
delicacy. Sitting watching him through a
powerful field-glass, l saw him pick three
thistle blossoms in this fashion and eat
was thirsty, and went down to the pool to
drink afterward washing his face and fore
paws. He not only washed his paws, but
took water in his mouth and let it run
over his toes, which he afterward fused
over long time with his teeth, in a man
ner that suggested that he might be mani
curing his nails.
| His elaborate toilet completed he strolled
up the bank and came upon little pile of
| grain in hollow. 1t was intended for the
quail, but he evidently considered that
what was good for quail was equally good
for grouDd-squirrel, and he fell to filling
| his cheek pouches.
The three young bluefinches were still
stalking amazedly about. The world was
so new to them, and apparently the ground
squirrel was the most astonishing thing
they had yet encountered. They circIed
around him, wonderingly. Once. when
they came too near, he made a snap at
them, and they edged off, but thew were
too young to be really frightened and curl
osity soon brought them back. They came
| up behind him and one of them discovered
his bushy tail lying straight along the
ground. The birding surveyed it curl
ously for an instant, and then ventured an
1nqulrlng peck at 1t. The effect was most
/ ludicrous.
The squirrel gave great bound and
nearly turned somersault in his FRIGHT
Then he suddenly became convinced that
he was wanted at home and started on a
run through the grass and weeds. The
equally frightened birdlings gave chorus
OF shrlll peeps and down from a great
willow tree swooped what was evidently
Papa Bluetlnch, who with sundry pecks
and wing fappings hustled those Young
sters up INTO scrub-oak bush. One Of
them rebelled and few down again. hut
was driven back. 1t was plain to be seen
tnat these young folk were being sent to
| -, - OAcb NV, III QlSSrace into the
bargain: They did not stir from the scrn nh
oak again while remained. s'' Wv
me shadows were gro wing long. OnIv
tne highest, twinkling tops Of the eucalvp.
tus trees caught the last rays of the SIM
SINKING SIN IKE great crimson ball, out yon-
de el, In the Golden Gate. Over the eastern
NIL the evening star was already visible
ana gown IN the pool the Dutch nightin,
gales. had sounded the first notes az Their
cffoaaklng evening chorus, when on a branch 81,
VI she tree Just above me vesper-sparrow
perched, and, all unmindful Of nv nres.
e sd, began his evening song. It was was
tax .aRen up by another in a neighboring tree
top, and belated goldinch. huTrv viTe .
lnomeward, stopped for an instant to Iise7
notes Iea snssftrrpthng with few sweet teasing
s ausrr, ai.ef the the manner of his kind. The
away, u as From the scrub oak the :. Young pa
s n,uJnncn as;, mnrmured sleepily. A brown
an, and !, settled himself for the night. Away
o up ~ the SKY, now deepening in its blue.
mountain inea aa top. .'My Lord SUM- dropped
INTO the ocean at last, and an instant later