The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-12-08

male and female that are not related.
To be sure of this, never rely upon
dealers word, but buy one animal
from one dealer and the other from |
another This is most important, for |
animals will not breed that are out OF
the same nest, and are very likely 10
leave. hunting for mate. (2) Procure
a box. say about three cubic feet, place
n smaller box inside of this, in which
is some manila for bedding. 81 Close
the box I'D with boards, all but a
small opening, in which you can just
put your hand. a. Place very lid
eral supply of mixed nuts and sun
flower seeds, but no roasted peanuts.
(5) Hoist the whole affair In some
lofty tree or the corner Of the barn.
| If the barn is of brick, then wooden
pole or two must lead to it. Secure
firmly. Co. Place your squirrels and
some water vessel in the opening ana
co yer with inch-mesh wire netting.
Water daily. "a After a few days, say
three or four, you can take on the net
ting and allow out an hour or two be-
fore shutdown. Sprinkle the ground
! Immediately beneath the nest with
nuts and place the water in position
where cats cannot modest them. ~
From this on, never disturb the nest.
Every time the squirrels are fright
ened they will run to their nest; let
them be at peace there. Dogs are not
cunning enough to catch squirrel,
ari the large varieties are not modest
cd bv cats. You will observe your pets
will leave their box very cautiously az
first, the tree will be thoroughly ex-
tiored and the least noise will send
them rushing back to their retreat.
SQUIRRELS mate in the fall of the year,
when the hickory nut shells. They
! have their young in the early part oil
March. These are born naked ano
blind and number from one to five, ac-
. cording to the amount of food on hand
/ SQUIRRELS never hibernate in the true
2 sense of the word, for they will come
out on the coolest day in the year and
5 eat some snow-in fact they are ou
S 365 DAYS a year. Even the chipmunE
5 and the flying squirrels will not hiber
l nate as the ground hog does, but pol
f their little noses out for breath o.
s air and a bite of snow.
e In buying squirrels always examine
C their teeth and see that they are no
S curved into tusks, also see that thei
coat is glossy and be sure that they ar
not suffering from partial paralysis
A squirrel is one of the most actlv
creatures in the world. and If it can
"a not run up and down tree four time
Willie a cat is going up once, the
: there is something wrong with its sys
= TEN. Extremely violent movement
while in cage are generally an ind
=, cation of good health. To ship
:, suuirrel a long distance successful!
70 always place in with it the hardes
&c nuts procurable for food, such as extr
> thick-shelled black walnuts or butter
~ nuts. together with some moist foo
ID such as artichokes. Provide straw an
g not hay to hide in, and line the insic
;s of the box with. one-inch-inesh viii
no netting. If going a very long distanc
ID such as to England, then place Wa
in ter bottle in place of the artichoke
o. with notice on the outside of ii
re box, "Give us drink"
nd North America is the home of I'll
IN squirrel, although there is a single V
riety in Great Britain. The Britt.
nv representative is a common small an
X NAL not nearly so interesting as o
nd little red squirrel. 1t extends through
he out Europe, and is the SAL
variety that is found in such immen
TO numbers In India. There is anoth
IN variety in the vicinity of Lapland
al. quite q handsome animal with tuft
ri ears and bushy tail. This animal
on migratory, and in migratiOns will
Nv. ten cover an acre of water, swimml
across small lakes and rivers In its
forts to get to good nut-bearing q
Id trict. As a fur-bearing animal, the
co. are few skins so handsome as that
sod the Russian gray squirrel. This fur
two MS beautiful as the ermine, and
an sembles it with the exception that
b;s has narrow strip of gray down
tJis centre of the back. should think Il
vas with a little trouble, or rather pie
ms ure, it could be bred pure white.
he far as 1 know, there are no variet
of squirrels in Africa or Austraias
ion or even in South America, and W
en-: the exception of the above varieties
nd rest are confined to North America
. in Forest and Stream.