THIS is regarded as the typical species among the tree squirrels, and its character and that of the common species of American squirrels are very similar. The attitudes of the animals are familiar to all who have watched the antics of squirrels in their arboreal homes. It is widely distributed throughout all of Europe and across the Caucasus and Ural through southern Siberia to the Altai and eastern Asia. Brehm says it is not equally common everywhere or every year. Its favorite haunts are dry, shady forests with high trees and it is as much averse to dampness as to sunshine. When fruit and nuts are ripe it visits the gardens of villages, but only when they are connected with the forest by small tracts of trees or bushes. It will not attempt to forage far from the protection of the trees. Where there are many pine cones the squirrel makes its permanent home, and builds one or several habitations, usually in old crows' nests, which it improves very ingeniously. If it intends to make only a short stay, it uses the forsaken nests of magpies, crows, or birds of prey, just as it finds them, but the nests which it intends to serve as a permanent sleeping-place, a shelter against bad weather or a nursery, are built new, though the materials collected by birds are often utilized. It is said that every squirrel has at least four nests, though nothing has been definitely proven as to this. Hollows in trees, especially hollow trunks, are also frequented by them and occasionally built in. The open-air nests usually lie in a fork, close to the main trunk of the tree; the bottom is built like one of the larger bird's nests, while above there is a flat conical roof, after the manner of magpies' nests, close enough to constitute a perfect protection from the rain. The main entrance is placed sideways, usually facing east; a slightly smaller loop-hole for escape is found close to the trunk. Moss forms a soft lining inside. The outer part consists of twigs of various thicknesses, intertwined. Brehm says this squirrel especially likes to use the firm bottom of a forsaken crow's nest, filled with earth and clay, as a base upon which to construct a nest of its own.

A famous naturalist, describing this little creature, says that it is one of the principal ornaments of a forest. In quiet, fine weather it is incessantly active, keeping as much as possible to the trees, which at all times afford it food and cover. Occasionally it will deliberately descend a tree, run to another tree and climb that; doing this often in pure playfulness; for it need not touch the ground at all, unless it wishes to do so. He calls it the monkey of the woods of temperate climes, and it is possessed of many attributes which remind one of that capricious inhabitant of the warmer zone. There are probably few mammals which are possessed of such constant briskness and remain for so short a time in the same place as the squirrel does in tolerably fair weather. It is ever going from tree to tree, from top to top, from branch to branch; and even on the ground it is anything but clumsy or out of place. It never walks or trots, but always proceeds in longer or shorter bounds, and so quickly that a dog can hardly overtake it, and a human being has to give up the pursuit after a short time. "It glides up even the smoothest trees with wonderful ease and speed. The long, sharp claws on the toes stand it in good stead, for it hooks them into the bark, all four feet at once. Then it takes a running start for another leap and darts further upward; but one bound succeeds another with such rapidity that the ascent proceeds uninterruptedly, and looks as if the creature glided up the tree. Usually it ascends to the top of the tree without pausing, not infrequently reaching the highest point; then it goes out on one of the horizontal branches and generally jumps to the tip of a branch of another tree, covering in these jumps distances of four or five yards, always in a downward direction. How necessary the bushy tail is for leaping has been demonstrated by cruel experiments, which consisted in cutting off the tail of some captive squirrel. It was then seen that the mutilated creature could not leap half so far as one having a tail. The squirrel is an excellent swimmer, though it does not go into the water willingly."

The squirrel eats fruit or seeds, buds, twigs, shells, berries, grain, and mushrooms. The seeds, buds, and young shoots of fir and pine trees form its principal food. It bites pine cones off at the stem, comfortably sits down on its haunches, lifts the cone to its mouth with its fore-paws, and turning it constantly around, it bites off one little scale after another with its sharp teeth, until the kernel is reached, which it takes out with its tongue. Hazel nuts are a favorite dainty with it. Bitter kernels, like almonds, for instance, are poison to it; two bitter almonds are sufficient to kill it.

When food is abundant the squirrel lays by stores for less plenteous times. In the forests of southeastern Siberia it stores away mushrooms. "They are so unselfish," says Radde, "that they do not think of hiding their supply of mushrooms, but pin them on the pine needles or in larch woods on the small twigs. There they leave the mushrooms to dry, and in times of scarcity of food these stores are of good service to some roaming individual of their kind."

Four weeks after the breeding-season the female gives birth to from three to seven young, in the softest, best located nest; the little ones remain blind for nine days and are tenderly nurtured by the mother. After they have been weaned the parents leave the young to their fate. They remain together for a while, play with each other and soon acquire the habits of their parents. By June it is said the female has another family, and when they also are so far grown up that they can roam around with her, she frequently joins her first litter, and one may see the entire band, sometimes consisting of from twelve to sixteen members, gamboling about in the same part of a wood.

The squirrel is a very cleanly animal, licking and dressing its fur unceasingly.

The finest squirrel skins come from Siberia, and the farther east they are procured the darker and more valuable they are. The back and under part of the furs are used separately. Russia and Siberia annually furnish from six to seven million skins, valued at about one million dollars. Most of these skins are manufactured in Russia and exported to China. Besides the skins, the tails are employed as boas, and the hair of the tail makes good painters' brushes. The flesh is white, tender, and savory, and is much esteemed by epicures.