Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1944-10-10
This and That
BIZ Charles E. Trace,Deu.

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If curiosity killed the cat, it some
times gets squirrels into trouble.
They seem to be unable to resist en-
tering all open doors, especially of
garages, and particularly II there is a
bag of seed therein.
Then they get shut up.
Finding themselves incarcerated, they
take to gnawing at the door frames.
Only the householder who has had this
happen can understand the amount of
damage they can do
Open doors to sunrooms and the like
beckon to these curious animals. We
know OF one household in Chevy Chase.
D. c., where this happened, resulting
in the wrecking of many handsome
flower pot containers, whatever they call
them.
Squirrels become terrified, indoors.
when they find themselves locked in.
and naturally try to get out, in the
only way they know. They scarcely can
be blamed for this.
It Is the outdoor consumption of
apples, tulip bulbs. corn and tomatoes
that inks the gardener Often a fine
apple Is gnawed through Just for the
seed
Squirrels are very human in their
curiosity. and particularly like us in
their reactions to surprise happenings.
The other day We found one in the
garage, seated on a big sack of Wild
bird food. He was raking his paws down
into the bag for sunflower seed.
When he saw and heard us approach,
he jumped off and started for the door.
We were careful to go slow, to give him
plenty Of time to reach the door first.
AS he approached, he knocked over
a small metal bucket. which made quite
clatter as 1t struck the floor.
Instead of frightening the squirrel, as
one might have supposed 1t would, the
noise simply evoked a human reaction
in the animal.
1t stopped dead In Its track and
looked around at the tumbling bucket,
just as any person would have done
under the circumstances.
Then he ran rapidly through the
door and out to the bird feeding sta
ton by the maple tree, where there
was all the sunflower seed he could
have desired.
He knew that, of course, before he
went in, but once he saw that open door
he could not resist the temptation to
see what was inside, and once inside he
could no more keep from sampling the
big bag of seed than small boy could
resist helping himself to an apple
swinging down in front of his eyes.
Four baby squirrels, born this sum-
mer, have at last come down the maple
tree to the feeder at its base This is
an ideal situation for squirrels. The
tree makes them feel very much at
home
1t is about month after young souir-
rels get their tree-going legs that they
are brave enough to come down to earth.
They gallop after one another in the
tree for long time before they man.
age to get the feel Of the good earth.
The mother brought down two of the
young fellows one day, but the other
pair remained aloft. peering down with
beady eyes at their holder brothers
1t was not long, however, before the
quartet was racing up and down the
trunk, .sampling the sunflower seed like
professionals
1t is only an exceptional squirrel
which does any real damage to property,
and this mostly when 1t happens to ret
confined In some way.
Mostly they are interesting and
amusing residents Of our city, without
any Of the planned malice which dis
tinguishes humanity.
A handful Of peanuts, or sunflower.
canteloupe or watermelon seed will keep
them busy for long time, and away
from tulip bulbs, etc. To those Who
are worried by squirrels, we suggest
feeding them for time, to see II this
will not divert them. We believe that
by the time any one has fed them for
several weeks he will find that not only
have the squirrels dispositions changed,
but what Is more important, his own,
too.