LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.
SQUIRRELS.
[To THR EDITOR OF MIR " OrscrAroz.".]
:Sia,—The public park-squares of Philadelphia, U.S., were at one time enlivened by the presence of considerable numbers of the large grey squirrel (S. migratcrrius), the handsomest of our genera; and when I first made their -acquaintance, most, if not all, of them had been born and bred in their city home, were on familiar terms with mankind, and had become the pets of all, particularly the children, who frequented the squares. They were not so tame that one might handle them, but it was good fun to tempt them to take a nut from the hand or provoke the bolder ones to climb, -even to one's shoulder, to get it. Alas ! to-day, and for many years past, not a squirrel is to be found in any of the squares. A scourge of the "measuring worm" (annually reappearing, eating the leaves, and dropping on pedestrians) became in- tolerable, and so the English sparrow was imported to rid us • of the nuisance. They did their good work effectually, but our civic authorities, being of the opinion that squirrels and sparrows could not live together, and that if we were to be rid of the worms it was necessary first to get rid of the squirrels, -decided to evict our old friends to make room for the new. We know better now, but the order went forth that every square-keeper should get to work with a gun, and in a few days the massacre which exterminated the pets of thousands of people, old and young, was accomplished. But the purpose of this note is to give some account of a scene in squirrel life which I witnessed with much interest when the good fellows were with us, showing the intelligence of the little creatures in an affair of attack and defence.
Some one had placed a white squirrel in Franklin Square, -expecting, no doubt, that the rare stranger would be received with distinguished consideration, but the grey community took an immediate dislike to him, and decreed that he should be expelled or killed. I arrived on the ground at the time when a posse comitatas was engaged in trying to execute the general verdict, all the combatants being then gathered in one large oak. The party could have made short work of their business if the condemned stranger had been entirely unfriended, but he had been fortunate enough to make a friend of one of the greys, who proved as devoted as he was brave. As animals never, I believe, attack females of their own kind, I concluded the white was a male ; a fact which made the alliance the more remarkable. The conflict must have been in progress for quite a while, as the white was showing much distress, though its companion was in good shape. The reason for the better condition of the latter, as I afterwards found out, was because the attacks upon him were only efforts to pass him, while the white when attacked had to fight with might and main for his life. After observing the course of the battle for some time, it seemed to appear that it was not a rough and tumble affair ; that the parties were not acting at haphazard, but with definite strategic plans. Nor would the pursued try to escape from the tree, but sought to gain positions there which they could defend with advan- tage. After several encounters, in which the white was severely handled, he and the grey succeeded in gaining a strong position. It was on a limb that was free of the enemy and free of near limbs, and there they skilfully arranged themselves, the grey taking his post near the trunk, guarding the only path of approach, while the white went further out where he could be reached only by dislodging the grey. They seemed to be securely fixed and the white safe, provided only that the guard could hold his own. The grey company when they took in the situation were puzzled at first, but soon showed that they could be equally bright at devising a manceuvre. They sent one fellow to force his way by the guard, if he could do it while at the same time another was employed to seek a roundabout path and get behind him. The former was easily kept back, but the latter, deftly creeping under the limb by the aid of its twigs and branches, sneaked unnoticed beyond the grey's position, until, he could pull himself up and on to the limb, where he, surprised the white in his entrenchment with a furious assault. The guard held the entrance so successfully against those of the crowd who now sought to run in and take a hand, in the finish, that the white had to deal only with his single , adversary, and to that extent the plan of their arrangement succeeded; but the previous tussles of the white unfitted him , to meet a fresh opponent on equal terms, so that the best he might hope to do would be to effect an escape before being. completely used up. By hard fighting he was able to compel' his adversary to stand off for a moment's breath, and so getting the chance, skipped forthwith. He jumped to a lower bough, eluded the others before they could gather their wits,, cut around the tree, and finding a promising limb ran out on it as far as he could go. Of course the enemy should have followed him up at once, and before his companion could come to the rescue, but it was a curious fact in every encounter, and a weak point in the tactics of the grey party, that they never promptly followed up an advantage gained. The grey champion, on his part, was always quick to rejoin forces with the white when they were compelled to change ground. Indeed, his quickness of wit and his unflagging devotion were the most interesting features in the whole performance. He now lost no time in bouncing through the ranks of the enemy to the new position, where he took his stand like a veteran soldier, exactly as he had placed himself before, to bar the way to the white, who, much blown, lay stretched out on his stomach panting painfully. The present vantage ground was much better than the last, being well out of reach, with no such opportunities for flanking as had betrayed its defenders before. The grey company appeared to accept the escape with cool unconcern, playing about the tree with such an air of indifference that after waiting for some action on their part I thought they admitted themselves outwitted. But just as I concluded the chase was abandoned they resumed proceedings. The playful interval in which they had appeared so indifferent to their business had really been employed, I suppose, in a council of war. Two squirrels advanced and began to bother the guard with determined persistence, giving him all he could do to manage them. Yet they avoided coming into actual fight with him, for it seemed that the greys had no serious quarrel with their fellow grey who was baulking them, although he had taken sides against his own people, and himself used tooth and claw in dead earnest when pushed to close quarters. It was plain to see that he could frustrate this open and direct attack on the position as he had done before, but, as before, the real attack was to be from an unexpected direction while he was busy in front. Now a noise in the upper branches gave warning of the direction from which it was to come, and I perceived that on the bough next above, but very high overhead, a fellow was moving about in ominous fashion. He seemed quite excited, making short jerky runs, and would then strike an attitude, standing stock still with his nervous tail straight out. He was swelling with the purpose of some mischievous per- formance. But what could he do up there? There could be but one purpose, and that, of course, was to venture the long leap upon the heads of the couple below. I doubted his pluck to do it, but it was the business he bad undertaken, and he did it. After concluding the preliminary antics, which, I suppose, were intended to attract the admiring attention of the grey company, he gathered himself together and took a flying header, which landed him squarely within the lines of the besieged betwixt the two. There he stopped but a moment to steady himself, and forthwith pounced viciously upon the poor white. This exploit was received by the greys with a grand commotion all through the tree, with a lively running to and fro, a scratching of bark, and shaking of tails. They thought, no doubt, that the white was now done for, and I feared the same. His companion, fully occupied in holding back the enemy at his end of the limb, could render no assistance. But a moment or two made it plain that the spirited little creature had no thought of yielding and still had lots of fight. He bit and clawed, giving back as good as he got, until a chance to get away was won, and then he jumped, leaving the hero of the long leap behind looking very foolish as he hesitated to follow. This time the white was forced to abandon the tree and landed on the ground. He took a minute for reflection, considering the situation and looking for a likely place of refuge. Then he decided that a tree-box near by was the best strategic point in sight, ran for it, unpursued, and climbed to the top. The box, which enclosed a sapling, was about six feet high, built of broad slats and topped with a rail. When perched there he seemed to have an excellent place of defence, but the cunning fellow concluded he could better matters, and slipped down inside ail the way to the bottom. Bravo, I said to myself. It is a fine retreat, and if the ruse has not been observed there is safe concealment until nightfall. Unfortunately, however, it had been seen and duly noted by the keen eyes which had so readily spied out the weak points of each of the former places of defence. But as the greys considered it the proper thing to pause awhile after every set-to, they did nothing but come leisurely down from the branches, until some half-dozen were playing, or pretending to play, under the tree. As I looked anxiously to find what the white's ally was doing the admirable fellow had already reached his post, and was climbing to the rail on top of the box. Then the enemy suddenly resumed business by sending a squirrel to attack the stockade. He was too clever to run straight up to the box in the face of the sentry, but sealed it by swift zigzag lines, and so easily reached the top. When there he tried his best to run down inside and so get at the white, but that move the guard would not permit, heading him off at every turn. Seeing that one man could not accomplish the object the enemy then made their next regular move by sending a second squirrel to try it by stratagem, and the fray on the narrow rail then became very lively. The brave grey strove vigorously to keep both of his assailants engaged, while they tried on either side to elude him and slip down. Easy enough for them, one would think, but neither fancied to expose himself head downwards to a fierce assault in the rear; yet it was, of course, only a question of time. To hold the two smart fellows was more than mortal squirrel could do. One got beyond reach, and to my dismay disappeared below. I thought now that the last moment of the harassed white had truly come, and fearful was the sound of the tumbling, spluttering fight that arose from the close space at the bottom of the box ; and painful was the concern of the unhappy grey above, who seemed undecided whether to go down or remain. He stayed above, however, probably to cover a retreat, trusting that the skill of his friend would fetch him out of this scrape as it had out of former predicaments. The struggle at the bottom was shortly followed by a complete silence, showing that one or other of the parties was disposed of. Which had won? Watching to see which of them should come out, I was quite as excited as the good grey. A moment later one scrambled up and appeared on the rail, and it proved to be the redoubtable white himself. He made no stop in the presence of the enemy to exchange congratula- tions with his ally, but at once cut for the open. The two cantered through the square to some distant point with their busby banners triumphantly aloft, and that was the last I saw of them. Whether the white eventually won his right to citizenship in the grey community I do not know. I hope so, but can only say that in subsequent visits to the square I did not see him.—I am, Sir, &c,
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