The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-08-17
Mr.. BLACK SQUIRREL
TALKS ABOUT HIS
GREAT FAMILY.
He Informs the Farmer on Many
Points In His Life-Why He
Stores Only a Little Food.
What His Skin Is Good For.

The farmer had been trying for half
an hour to get a shot at the black
squirrel with his old rifle, when the
sprightly little animal came halfway
down the tree and said:
you are only wasting your time, my
old friend. 1t would take a much bet
ter shot than you are to send bullet
even near enough to scare me. Why
don't you go and shoot at goose?"
II guess you are too cute for me-"
said the farmer, as he sat down on a
nearby log
yes; you might as well give 1t up. I
cannot only hide away from you in the
tree top, but there's a hollow limb up
there in which have my nest. came
down, however, to have little talk
with you. Do you know that was OF
great benefit to you last summer"
"How?" asked the farmer.
by eating as many as a hundred
crows eggs. like the eggs of all kinds
of birds, but particularly those Of
crows. They are large and easy to get
at, and have a feast whenever come
across a nest. also broke up the nests
of three chicken hawks last year by
eating the eggs, and / think you ought
to treat me we'll instead of hunting me
with a gun"
Il didn't know you liked birds eggs"
well, / do, and l also eat many
grubs that prey upon your crops. Now
let me tell you something about my
self ! have four toes on my forepaws
and five on the hind ones, and my hind
| legs are considerably the longest. This
| is to enable me to make long jumps
from limb to limb. / can jump much
further through the air than the rabbit
| can jump on the ground. Perhaps
you've seen me make my way from
tree to tree?"
Yes, ] have. and you didn't fall, y
said the farmer.
"a squirrel hardly ever misses his
jump, but if he does and falls to the
ground he is not much hurt. He al
ways strikes with his feet spread out
and breaks the shock. AS to my teeth
they are better than those of any dog.
There is no nut in the forest that
cannot eat my way into and wereI to
bite your hand you would be crippled
for weeks / once turned on a dog who
had seized my tail and gave him such
a bite on the jaw that he ran away
yelping."
You must be a fighter"
II know how to take care of myself,
but l am not as good a. fighter as the
red squirrel: There are black. gray
and red squirrels, you know, and the
red Is the best fighter. He has a hot
temper. like q red-headed boy. and he
will even fight the coon or possum. /
have seen a red squirrel get the better
of an owl who wanted to eat him, and
ne is not very much afraid of a dog.
The gray squirrel, however, Is a great
coward. / have known him to be
driven from tree by three or four
blackbirds."
II have read that you store up BUSH
els and bushels of food for the winter"
said the farmer.
THAT is an old woman's story"
laughed the squirrel. I'm the fall
when nuts are plentiful, we store up
few, but nothing like bushels or even
quarts. We are out in the winter as
well as other times, and we can always
find food, but we store the nuts up
against bad weather. When the snow
Is extra deep. or there comes a rainy.
sleety day, then we have food at hand
and don't have to leave our warm
nests. 1t Is true that eat a few ears
of your corn in the course of the year,
but I make good the loss in many
other ways. The red squirrel does the
same, but the grays do you the most
damage. They visit a cornfield by the
hundreds sometimes, and will pull
down and destroy two or three acres.
The black squirrel will make his home
In one place for years, unless driven
out, but the gray never stays beyond
few months. He is good deal like
tramp-always wanting to move on
and get somewhere else"
I'D like your tail to put on my zap"
said the farmer as he raised his gun.
well, you won't get it," chatterEd
the squirrel as he whisked it about. IT
wouldn't look half as pretty IL / lost
my tail, and you can just as we'll stick
feather in your cap. My tail goes
with my skin when / am dead
Let me tell you that squirrel skins
are made into rugs, robes and over
coats without being dyed, but n furrier
Will dye them and prepare them 10
that they look like mink. Many a boa
and cape worn by a young lady are
only squirrel skins, though they call
them by other names. Two skins
would make you a nice pair of gloves,
but you won't get mine all the same.
need ii myself"
I'VE II see about that" cluckled the
farmer az he aimed his gun and fired.
"Ah there-you therel" cried the
squirrel as he ran up the tree. "Say,
now, you'd better do as I tod you-go
shoot an old goosel II she won't hold
still while you shoot, tie her up by the
Leg"