SOME USES OF THE SQUIRREL.

The squirrel is a useful little animal.

His flesh is used for food.

Did you

ever eat squirrel meat? If you have, can you tell how it looks and tastes?

The skin, with its soft, warm fur, is made into muffs, capes, coats, and cloaks. His fur is also used for cloak-linings and dress-trimmings.

The squirrel can be tamed quite easily. Tame squirrels are very interesting pets. We like to watch them play and run about.

The word squirrel comes from two words which mean shade and tail, meaning the animal shades himself with his tail. Don't you think it is a good name for this little animal to have? You often see him sitting in the shade of his tail.

Long, slender body. Soft, beautiful fur.

Four toes on each fore foot. On each hind foot, five toes.

Long, sharp, thin claws, hooked at the tips. Two long, sharp, chisel-shaped teeth in each jaw. Back teeth rough.

Eats acorns, nuts, and wheat. Sits on haunches and holds food with fore paws. Flesh used for food. Skin and fur used for muffs, capes, coats, and cloaks.

Lives in trees.

"I would not hurt a living thing,

However weak or small;

The beasts that graze, the birds that sing, Our Father made them all."

Where does the squirrel live?

What kind of body has the squirrel? With

what is it covered?

Describe the tail; feet.

Describe the teeth.

How does the squirrel sharpen his teeth?
Write all you know about the squirrel.
Read what you have written.

Mr. and Mrs. Squirrel build two nests. One nest is their summer home, in which they rear their young. The other nest is their winter home.

Sometimes these nests are called cages. The summer cage is built near the end of a slender branch. This nest is made of moss, grass, leaves, and twigs. In shape it is nearly round, and is so light and airy that it is not fit for winter use.

In this airy nest the young squirrels are born. The wind rocks the cradle.

Before cold weather comes the squirrels move to their winter cage.

For a winter home the squirrel builds in the fork of a tree; that is, in a place where a large limb joins a trunk. If he

can find two or three limbs branching from the same place same place he builds there. So you see it is well hidden by branches. on which it rests.

This nest is made warm. In this warm nest Mr. and Mrs. Squirrel and their little ones sleep during the cold weather.

For a long time a little red squirrel made his home in our barn. He was a very active little fellow. As he frisked about he pleased all who saw him.

Sometimes he sat on a box to watch us. He looked as if he would like to

say, "I am not afraid of you. You can

not catch me."

We never did catch him, for as soon as we were near enough to touch him, away he jumped to some hiding-place.

He was so frisky that we named him Frisk.