Squirrels Versus Trees Many people are urging a more serious
campaign against the grey squirrel, which, in spite of the organisation against it, continues to increase, even rapidly. I see that its enemies include the best and oldest of all the forestry societies, the joint Royal Scottish and Royal English. The charge is that " it makes serious depredations, especially in hardwood plantations, and in some areas does as much harm as rabbits." That is a charge indeed. The first enemy of the grey squirrel was one of its introducers, the Duke of Bedford, who found that it was attacking wild birds' nests ; and it is for. this reason that most of us dislike it. The animal is particularly fond of private gardens and seems at first a pleasant addition: but birds in the garden grow fewer and fewer, with the exception of tits, and evidence of this " tree- rat's " ravages become only too apparent. The fruit-grower is only less hostile than the bird-lover. Thrush, blackbird, partridge and pheasant are particularly vulnerable, but only nests in small holes are immune.
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