Evening star., 1945-01-02
This and That
BY Charles Z. Trdcetpell.
"TAKOMA PARK, Md.

Dear sir:
Il was watching the squirrels in my
yard the other day, and wondering
If they ever found what they buried.
AS far as can determine, they do not.
Il would appreciate your advice on
this matter. Our squirrels have been
a great source of interest and amuse-
ment, but this burying business makes
me wonder if they have much brains.
Il have watched them spend much
time, carefully digging holes and pat
ting down the ground. I selected sew
eral known places and have kept my
eye on them, but I have never seen a
squirrel come back to them. I wender
if they ever do.
Sincerely, j. K. D."
Our gray squirrel, as distinct from
the red squirrel of other sections of
the country, hides his food in the earth
We may feel sure that the wisdom
which leads him to hide also enables
him to find, at least to some extent.
1t is probable that he. digs up and
eats about Is per cent of what he has
buried.
The rest remains for other squirrels
and to help renew the forests When
our squirrels bury walnuts and Others
they are rendering mankind great
service.
This is not seen so easily in suburban
sections as in the forests. Nuts buried
in the ground in the forests mostly
grow up to trees, but in yards and gar
dens the young trees are cut down
when they come up out of place.
We may feel sure that many of the
nuts hidden by squirrels are found by
that inquisitive bird, the blue jay. He,
too, is hider of foods, and no doubt
appreciates the superior work of his
four-legged friend.
The squirrel is a canny fellow. He
takes the nut or other food, even a
sunf1ower Seed and digs hole in the
lawn about 11a inches deep.
This is only bluff.
He hopes, evidently that some other
creature will be fooled.
He then moves over few feet and
repeats the process, but still he is not
satisfied. He digs at place after place,
usually making at least four attempts
before the last hiding.
X
He then pats the soil and turf down
neatly with his wonderful small paws,
more. like human hands and fingers
than animal feet.
No matter how careful he is, how
ever, some traces of his digging remain
and these probably are discovered by
others, even after many days.
Scent, without doubt, is the main in
strument of discovery. The keen noses
OF all squirrels are constantly wrinkling
for food, and they can smell it where
no human nose on earth could discover
a thing
Our gray squirrel eats many things,
ranging from nuts and berries to to-
matoes and corn, as many a gardener
has discovered. They even eat baby
birds and eggs now and then, but not
often
The red squirrel is more likely to kill
small birds. 1t is at once more dam
gerous foe of small life, and at the
same time really wonderful food
hoarder.
Scientists estimate that the annual
trove of nuts hidden away by a pair
OF these squirrels is at least 1la bushels
Each and every nut is sound and whole.
No other sort is taken.
This cache, however, is only the main
one. 1t is estimated that every pair
of red squirrels has at least two more
sources of hidden food.
If spring is very late, he will tap
maple and birch trees, cutting a small
place In trunk or limb, where sugar
will collect and thus give him both
food and drink.