Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-08-25
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TraceapeH
GEORGETOWN.

GEORGETOWN.
Dear Sir:
Merely seeing cute little squirrels running
around our city parks can give little idea of
the complete personality of these animals
Day by day observation of ones own squr-
rels is needed ars,s.
THE squirrel is surely one Of the funniest
citizens of the world, although much of the
humor is unconscious. When angry, the spec
tacle he presents of SO much furious and futile
Indignation bursting from one small body never
fails to be deliciously amusing, no matter how
often it has been witnessed
And young squirrels are among natures
giddiest performers, as they explore this great
world with complete responsibility and aban-
don. Jumping gaiy into an apparently solid
green floor of leaves, only to fall to the ground
is nothing in their young lives.
AT various times we have had squirrels that
we knew as individuals. Tarzan's idea of the
proper way to receive ones first peanut was to
climb to the top of the open screen door, come
rafting down inside, catch hold with hind feet
and swing out with forepaws to grab the nut
from startled human hand.
I'm his rough 'impetuosty 1t was OF little
moment il finger was caught along with the
nut. 1t was for this reason that we stopped
catering to his whims. Only reluctantly could
his one-track mind bring him to the porch
floor for the handout.
"Sabertooth was a pathetic little fellow.
Probably due to fight or by being mauled by
larger animal, his face had apparently been
swollen for awhile in such way as to prevent
him from chewing. During that time his lower
teeth had grown sideways out of his mouth
and eventually curved up over the nose a good
three-quarters of an inch. At, one time he
broke them off but they grew back again. He
had noticeable difficulty in chewing and doubt
less this handicap was the cause of an early
death, for he wasn't around long.
1.-The Little Lady was our most beloved
squirrel.
She probably lived longer than most wild
ones, because she was familiar to us for several
years and undoubtedly for longer than we
knew, since we had not at first identified her
from the several that we're always around. She
was gentle, after tempestuous youth spent
trying to chew the house down to get at the
source of food.
She would come into the kitchen and would
climb into the can where we kept the peanuts,
disappearing completely into this trap to
emerge with nut as evidence of her COM
plete faith in humanity. But before making
the effort she would hesitate, hoping some one
would walk over and hand her nut.
She was showing her age in the careful
preparation necessary before making leap
from the lilac tree to garage roof, then barely
reaching the gutter, noticeable contrast to
the high graceful curve of the younger squirrels.
u
day, SO that on a day she did not come we
knew she was dead. We never saw her again.
Yours truly, K. B."
Gray squirrels usually live from five to eight
years. on an average.
Quite often they receive injuries which leave
them handicapped for life.
There was one old bull squirrel that used to
come to the feeding station at the dining room
windows.
He had q great swelling on his Head, and
this gave him most grotesque appearance. 1t
did not, however handicap him in eating He
more than got his share Of sunfiower seeds
Another male had a lvid wound on his face
This took more than two months to heal
We have watched squirrels plummet to the
ground often on concrete sidewalks
One old fellow hit the ice on a cold winter
day. and lay there for at least go seconds before
he recovered his breath.
Then he darted for tree in his best manner
rs If nothing out of the ordinary had happened
to him.
Most accidents resulting in death to squirrels
happen nowadays from automobiles, with dogs
second, and cats poor third.
Cats are easily fooled by the willy rodents.
They invariably put the squirrel down. and the
creature seizes its chance to dart up tree.
Even the most determined cat realizes that
he has no chance then.