away except one, and that he found in his bed, where it had run for
shelter with its little nose under his pillow. He caught the little
fellow, and it lived with him till the spring, when it grew restless, and
one day got away, and went off to the woods."

"These little creatures are impatient of confinement, and will gnaw
through the woodwork of the cage to get free, especially in the spring of
the year. Doubtless, my dear, they pine for the liberty which they used to
enjoy before they were captured by man."

"Nurse, I will not let my little pet be unhappy. As soon as the warm days
come again, and my governess has taken his picture, I will let him go
free. Are there many squirrels in this part of Canada?"

"Not so many as in Upper Canada, Lady Mary. They abound more in some
years than in others. I have seen the beech and oak woods swarming with
black squirrels. My brothers have brought in two or three dozen in one
day. The Indians used to tell us that want of food, or very severe weather
setting in, in the north, drive these little animals from their haunts.
The Indians, who observe these things more than we do, can generally tell
what sort of winter it will be, from the number of wild animals in the
fall."

"What do you mean by the fall, nurse?"

"The autumn in Canada, my lady, is called so from the fall of the leaves.
I remember one year was remarkable for the great number of black, grey,
and flying squirrels; the little striped chitmunk was also plentiful, and
so were weasels and foxes. They came into the barns and granaries, and
into the houses, and destroyed great quantities of grain; besides gnawing