"Kay" wrote in message
...


"redclay" wrote in message
...

in suburban America a great number of people put it out for the tree
rats,
incorrectly called gray squirrels.

Grey squirrels are Sciurus carolinensis, ie they are squirrels. They are
not rats, they are not related to rats.

You may have a perfectly valid value judgement that places them on a par
with rats, but your value judgement does not make it incorrect to call
them gray squirrels'. There is no validity in the name 'tree rat' other
than as an epithet which has gained wide currency.

Well said, grey squirrels are no more tree rats than rednecks are people
with red necks, or cormorants are really the black death, or sheep are
really maggots with wool. Perhaps people enjoy using such colourful phrases
about animals they don't like because the latter don't have access to PC
pressure groups or civil rights lawyers (fortunately!)