SQUIRRELS EATING MEAT.
[To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.")
SIR,—There is nothing very unusual in the fact brought to notice by Mr. Cotton. It may be doubted whether the taste for meat is common to the species as a whole, but individual squirrels are certainly carnivorous. They have frequently been observed to take front the nest and eat fledglings of small birds—the sparrow, flycatcher, and redstart occur to mind as examples of this taste. On occasion the squirrel will pounce upon and kill adult birds which might be supposed capable of taking care of themselves; and this in summer and autumn when the orthodox food of squirrels is plentiful enough. Birds as a general rule display no particular fear of the squirrel, and from this it is reasonable to assume that they do not recognise an enemy in him: in other words, that the carnivorous squirrel is the exception, or they would surely give him as wide a berth as they give their traditional enemy, the cat. There is, it may he added, some evidence to show that the depraved squirrel will attack young rabbits and eat the flesh. If this occurs seldom, it is probably because a doe rabbit lays aside her timidity when danger confronts her children. Flu, will show a bold front to a stoat in defence of her young. and would not be daunted by the less formidable squirrel
under like circumstances.—I am, Sir, &c., E. I). Cumiste. Cosheen, Castletoa•ushend, Co. Cork.
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