Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-12-07
FREY IN CEMETERIES.
Cats and Squirrels Foes of Birds ant
Eggs.

Eggs.
1t Is fact not generally known that
cemeteries, from the opening of spring
until the first snowfall. are the dwell
ing places of tramp dogs and cats. saws
the Poughkeepsie correspondent of the
New York Tribune, Nor, again. it is
q matter of common knowledge that
save in the winter months there is n
constant warfare going ON among the
animal denizens of the cities of the
dead. The hostilities begin at breed
ing time among the birds. the larger
and stronger species driving the small.
er and weaSur ones from choice spots
for nest building and sometimes even
taking forcible possession of nests nj
reauy built. But with the breeding
season fairly begun the birds have lit
tie time or inclination to quarrel among
themselves, for all their watchfulnpss
and quickness of hop and wing are
needed to protect them from their
greatest fees, who appear in the breed
ing season-red squirrels aid tramp
cats.
Hungry from the short rations of n
hard winter the red squirrel has an an.
petite for birds eggs whetted tn Il
keen edge, and out of pure wantonness
he will destroy those which he does
not care to eat 1t makes no differ.
ence what kind of eggs they are. robin
or catbird, or bluehird or thrush. he
searches for them high and low with
his keen eyes. His light. 1.-the body
enables him to go out on the slenderest
limbs and he knows the habits and
tricks of birds so we'll that they know
he is sure to f. their nests. Fear he
knows not and e will even drive the
mother bird from her nest to get at the
eggs. Nevertheless, the birds fight him
as best they can and sometimes.
though not very frequently. beat him
off by the tierceness o. their pecks at
his eyes.
The tramp eat. whose return to the
cemetery from his unknown winter
haunts always comedies with the
breeding season. in the meantime has
been sharpening his claws on the tree
trunks ana licking his needle teeth in
when
the young birds are Matched If he is
very, very hungry and cannot wait for
them TO get old enough to essay their
first flight he breakfasts on them in
the nest. provided it is in some crotch
of limb that will bear his weight II
it is on a light limb too far to be
reached by jump and dslodging
sweep of paw, the cat crawls out on
the limb and leaps on the nest. True,
h, tumbles. but so does the nest and
the young birds with it.
When the cravings of n gnawing
hunger are satisfied tn cat becomes
an epicure and takes pleasure in catch
ing, as well as eating, of the chicka-
dee. starting and blackbird youngsters.
With the knowledge that he Is sure of
his game he watches the Hedging learn
ing to fly and plays as cats do with
prey they are sire Of Many times
| he let's escape the bird unable to sus-
tain long flight and forced 20 alight
within easy reach of n cats paw But
there comes Il time when the parent
birds fiutter and cry and the cat ticks
his whiskers and washes the feathers
| from his mouth with his paws.
But the ca have their enemy The
homeless tramp dogs that run by two,
and threes through city streets often
make cemeteries their headquarters
and though they do not eat the GENIE
| terry cat they make his life miserable
! whenever they sight him.
The big gray squirrels look fully able
to take care of themselves. but they
flee before the red squirrel, their in
veterate enemy and the chief fighter Of
the squirrel tribe. Red squirrels will
clean patch of woodland Of gray
squirrels III season if they are allow
ed to carry on their warfare without
interruption
Muskrats are foe that keepers OF
cemeteries near streams or Inarshy
ground are forced to fight necessarily
and if was only comparatively recent
~ that professional muskrat catcher