Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1923-09-27
RED SQUIRREL is A NUISANCE
TO THE cOUNTRY-SAYS
THE FARMER

1t is hard to believe that the hand
some, agile, graceful red squirrel
which adds such a picturesque note
to our lawns and parks is an inveter-
ate destroyer of the eggs and young
of useful birds and spends much OF
his time in searching out nests among
the trees. Such however are his hab
it's and naturalists and sportsmen
class him as one of the most vicious
of all game destroying animals. In
many places war has been declared
on him by sportsmen who are partic
ularly interested in Kidding their
neighborhood of "vermin," as the
birds and animals are called which
prey on useful species. A great mass
of evidence has been collected against
the red squirrel showing that his de-
predations are such as to make it
necessary to keep down his number
if insectivorous birds are to be allow
ed to flourish and help out in their
useful work.
The late John Burroughs wrote of
the red squirrel: Nearly all the
birds look upon it as their enemy
and attack and annoy it when it ap-
pears near their breeding haunts
Thus l have seen the pewee, the
cuckoo, the robin and the wood
thrush pursuing it with angry voice
and gestures. If you wish the birds
to breed and thrive in your orchards
and groves, kill every red squirrel
that infests the place
DR.. B. II. Warren of West Chester,
Pennsylvania and naturalist of re-
pute stated that some years ago when
Thomas ]. Edge was Secretary Of
Pennsylvania Department of Agricul
ture, he received complaints from a
dozen of more farmers in different
sections of Pennsylvania about red
or pine squirrels destroying young
chickens. Several also wrote Secre-
tary Edge that this squirrel killed
the young of domestic pigeons.
More than 100 farmers and sports
men in Pennsylvania in 1897
wrote to the Pennsylvania Game De-
partment, complaining of this squir-
rel destroying eggs or young Of many
kinds of wild birds, game and other
kinds
Prof ~ F. Davis. teacher of biol
ogy at Bucknell College, Lewisburg
Pa. hal so much trouble with red
squirrels killing nesting birds and
eating their eggs about the lawn of
the college campus where lots of
large shade trees flourish, that he
shot some twenty of the nimble little
relocated murderers to end their de
predations. One day six Of the SPUR
rels attacked and pursued large
gray squirrel and before Prof. Davis
could save it, the vicious creatures
cornered their victim and literally
cut it to pieces.
Furthur damaging testimony is
given by James Carnes of Clearfield
Pennsylvania, who states that the
red squirrel is one of the worst pests
as ne destroys so. many eggs of the
ruffed grouse, known generally in
this region as pheasants.
The depredations of these squirrels
seem to be of the most general kind
and to include nearly all kinds Of
birds. Mr.. B. F. Shaffer, Nittany, Cen
ter County, Pa states that he saw a
red squirrel eating young robin and
also that they kill different kinds Of
wild birds and suck their eggs and
The presence of the red squirrel
is by common consent among many
naturalists, dangerous to useful birds
for the protection of which there is
such an insistent demand at this time
Dr. c. Hart Merriam who for many
years was chief Of the biological Sur
yey, Washington, D. c., and who
ranks as one of the foremost author
tiles in the United States on birds
and mammals writes: THE propen-
sity to suck the eggs and destroy the
young Of our smaller birds is the
worst trait of the red squirrel and is
in itself sufficient reason for its ex-
termination, at least about the habita
tions OF man. | have myself known
him to rob the nests of the red-eyed
vireo, chipping sparrow, robin, viii
sons thrush and ruffed grouse, and.
doubt not that thousands of eggs are
annually sacrificed in the Adirondack
region alone, to crafty his appetite
Therefore, where abundant, as he al
ways is during springs that follow nut
years, his influence in checking the
increase of our insectivorous birds
can hardly be over estimated. DR.. A
X. Fisher informs me that on three
occasions he has known these squir-
rels to destroy young robins. | have
long been aware that this animal was
an occasional depredator of the poul-
try yard, and find in journal written
twelve years ago, note to the effect