woods, it will always run upon a log in preference to keeping upon the ground.

This, as well as several other true squirrels, will sometimes, though rarely, dig up newly-planted corn; and at times it devours wheat and also other grain. But, usually, the only considerable injury it does the farmer is in the destruction of corn in the ear.

In the woods, the food of the fox-squirrel consists almost entirely of the nuts and seeds of trees, with the buds of some species, including bass-wood, elm, and maple. In autumn, it eats the fruit of various thorns (cratægus); various berries are also eaten by it, and it is said to be particularly fond of strawberries. In common with other squirrels, it sometimes eats insects; and it has occasionally been observed to gnaw the bark from dead trees, to procure beetles and their larvæ. Like other squirrels, too, it has been seen to gnaw through the bark of trees girdled in spring, to taste the decomposing sap. So fond of this is it that fifteen or twenty grey-squirrels have been seen thus engaged upon a single oak, thus girdled.

It is a common opinion that this and other squirrels carry large hoards of nuts to hollow trees for consumption in winter. So far as our three species, common in Illinois, are concerned, this is entirely erroneous. With the exception of the little "Chickaree," no true squirrel that I have observed ever collects food for winter in hollow trees. A few nut-shells are sometimes found in a squirrel's hole, but these are only such as he has taken there to be eaten at the time. The fox-squirrel, with the migratory and Carolina squirrels, also, as well as others probably, buries large quantities of nuts and acorns under the leaves in autumn, for use in winter. These, however, are not collected together, but concealed one in a place. In winter, the squirrels dig them up; and, when the ground is covered with snow, numerous holes will be seen where they have dug down to get them. It is interesting to notice that they seldom dig through the snow and leaves in this way without coming directly upon the buried nut or acorn, and a common idea is that the animal " remembers" the spot. This is highly improbable. It is more reasonable to suppose that the animal is guided by the sense of smell. Dr. Hoy tells me that he has seen squirrels run about with the nose close to the snow or leaves, and finally dig directly upon a buried nut without hesitation. He gives it as his opinion that they can always smell the food, unless it is buried under very deep snow. am not aware that corn is thus stored for winter use. Though many nuts and acorns are buried in this way, the fox-squirrel, as observed in Northern Illinois, at least, does not depend much upon them for food, when the snow is deep, at which time it feeds chiefly upon buds, searching carefully, also, for the few nuts, acorns, and seeds which may have remained upon the trees, and for the dry berries of the Celastrus scandens, and other vines or shrubs.

I

Mr. Smiley Shepherd, of Hennepin, Illinois, in a letter containing reliable account of the mammals of his region, informs me that he has repeatedly observed where the fox-squirrels have carried large numbers of nuts and deposited them securely in the forks of

small trees, their tracks being readily traced in the snow to where the nuts had been recently dug out. This was observed in cold weather, when the snow was deep. Unless Mr. Shepherd mistook the work of wood-peckers and nut-hatches for that of squirrels— which is hardly probable-this is an interesting fact with regard to the habits of this squirrel.

I have observed that, in digging nuts from under the leaves, in winter, the fox-squirrel never remains upon the ground to eat them, but carries them to a neighboring stump or log, or, more frequently, to the low branches of some small tree, under which the shells are found cut and broken into a number of pieces, instead of having small linear openings cut through the thinnest part of the shell.

The fox-squirrel is more solitary in its habits than the migratory squirrel. More than two old ones are rarely, if ever, found living together. In the summer and fall, the old males lead a solitary life, as they sometimes do in winter. As soon as the young are able to take care of themselves, the female usually drives them off, when the old male, which has retired to a summer residence to escape the discomfort attendant upon the rearing of a family, returns to the winter-quarters and society of his chosen mate; for, usually, this species is not polygamous. This squirrel often, if not generally, builds several nests, each of which is sometimes a simple pile of twigs and leaves placed in the forks of a tree, but at other times is carefully and ingeniously constructed, being round, with the central cavity quite roofed over, and a small entrance on one side. The more carefully-formed nests are usually on tall trees; but temporary habitations are frequently built on small trees, and within 20 feet of the ground. After being driven off by the mother, the young usually separate and lead a wandering life, for a time, at least. They build nests wherever they stop, even for a day or two; and I have several times observed individuals to appear in a grove of young oaks, build a nest, remain a few days, and then disappear, perhaps to return again in a week and build other nests.

The fox-squirrel loves to take up his abode in a hollow tree which stands out alone at a little distance from the surrounding timber, as if desirous of having a clear view of all going on around him. When he once becomes domiciled in a tree, he does not leave it, unless disturbed, pairs being observed to inhabit the same tree for five or six successive years. It is less prolific than either the migratory or Carolina squirrel. From two to four young are usually brought forth at a birth, the most common number being three; but in one instance, I have seen five. Two litters are probably produced each season. So far as has been observed, they are always brought forth in the hole, the nests of leaves being only used as summerhouses. Like the young of most rodents, they are ugly, unsymmetrical little beings, at first, with monstrous heads and closed eyes; and it is some time before they acquire the elegant proportions and agile movements of their parents.

These squirrels sometimes leave their holes for food, and even for amusement, in very cold and rainy weather, when they are found

moving about much more than the migratory species. But, though active at this time and apparently engaged in play, they do not now "bark," as on warm and pleasant days. Like other squirrels, they dislike to move about in windy weather, when the waving branches make their highways among the tree-tops insecure.

The old comparison, "As lively as a squirrel," is not inapt, and the fox-squirrel, like the other, exhibits remarkably active habits. While the females and young are together, in early autumn, it is amusing to watch the movements of a party on any pleasant day, when their enjoyment of the abundant food and things in general is testified by a degree of sprightliness and agility quite astonishing. One afternoon, in September, by concealing myself near a large hickory on which four or five were engaged in eating unripe nuts, I had an opportunity of witnessing their movements without alarming them. With surprising case, one would run out upon a limb so slender that it would bend beneath his weight, and, seizing a nut in his teeth, he would pull it off and carry it back to a more secure seat on a large branch, always returning to the same spot. Here, standing upon his hind-feet in a posture nearly erect, and holding the nut in his fore-paws, he first gnawed off the outer covering, and then cut open the shell and devoured the kernel rapidly. Sometimes, in attempting to pick a nut, one would drop it, when he would invariably stop, turn his head on one side, and, with a provokingly comical expression, watch its descent. They seldom remained quiet for a minute at a time. If not eating, they would scamper up and down, sometimes springing from limb to limb, with no other apparent object than fun. Their long bushy tails were never kept still, but continually jerked up and down. Occasionally, one would stop for an instant, and utter a short bark, or chatter. One kept aloof from the rest, and when approached by any of them in their play, chased them off with an angry guttural snarl. A movement at length discovering me to them, some scampered further up the tree, while one, after watching my partly-concealed form a moment, ran down the trunk to within 20 feet of the ground, and, spreading himself out flat against the tree, with his head down and tail extended straight behind him, barked at me with energy. He first uttered several abrupt notes, quak-quak-and then a long shrill qua'a-a-a, the number of the short sounds varying, but always followed by the long sharp qua'a-a-a. At the repetition of each short note, he jerked his body violently, and whisked up his tail slightly, giving it a gracefully undulating motion. He continued to bark thus incessantly for several minutes, until, at length, I exposed myself fully to view, when he hastened to the opposite side of the tree, and ran to the top, uttering a low chatter of affright.

This species is usually more silent than the migratory squirrel; and, if one of them hears any loud noise in the woods, it hides or runs to its hole, instead of chattering at it, as the other often will; though, while at work in a field near the summer home of an old male, I have many a day been cheered by his merry quak-quakqua'-a-a-a, uttered for an hour at a time.

To use the words of the hunters, fox-squirrels "hole" more than the migratory squirrels; that is, they keep more in holes, spending less time in their nests of leaves, to which, however, they are fond of retiring on sunny days late in autumn. At this time, I have seen lazy hunters go about firing into the nests with shot guns, calculating that the proportion containing squirrels would compensate for the waste of ammunition fired at empty nests.

I am not aware that this species has ever been known to migrate in large companies, though some will occasionally move from place to place singly, in search of food, as will the Carolina squirrel and several others, besides the migratory squirrel. Several instances are on record of a fox-squirrel crossing a prairie in summer four or five miles in width, to reach timber upon the other side.

This species, as if from living in more open woods, runs better upon the ground than others. They venture a considerable distance from their home, but when chased, they will even, if hard pressed, run a long way upon the ground in the endeavor to reach their hole, rather than take to the first tree, like other squirrels. The tree attained, they never stop upon its branches, but run directly into the hole. In the woods, this squirrel is usually more shy than any others that I have observeb; at least, it will not expose itself as boldly to any one seen by it. Yet it takes up its abode near dwellings much oftener than the others; indeed, I know of no squirrel, excepting perhaps the chickaree, that will live as near the habitations of man as this. I have observed several instances in which pairs of fox-squirrels have lived and reared young, for a number of years, in trees situated within a few rods of dwelling-houses; and, in winter, I have seen these, as well as others from the woods, come boldly about the farm-yard or corn-crib in search of food.

For a figure of the fox-squirrel, (S. cinereus,) of Pennsylvania, see Plate v.

MIGRATORY, OR COMMON GREY AND BLACK-SQUIRREL.

[PLATE VI.]

Sciurus migratorius, AUDUBON and BACHMAN.

DESCRIPTION.-The adult male measures about 12 inches from the nose to the root of the tail; vertebræ of the tail, 10 inches. In color, there are two very different varieties of this species commonly met with. One is of a blackish-brown on the upper parts, lighter beneath, and with some rusty markings on the feet and face. The other is of a grey color, with reddish-yellow markings about the head, belly, sides, and feet. These two varieties are commonly considered among our farmers, as distinct species, and are respectively called the "grey" and "black" squirrel; but any one living in the woods may, by a little observation, satisfy himself of their identity as one species,

and the females will be found to bring forth specimens of both varieties at one birth, and the two live and breed together without regard to color. They are now known under the two very different names of the "black" and the "grey" squirrel; but while there are other black and grey-squirrels, would it not be better for our farmers to adopt the highly appropriate name of the "migratory squirrel" for this species- the more so as Audubon and Bachman have, with good taste, given this as its specific name?

The grey-squirrel is the most abundant, and, it is said, sometimes exists in great numbers where none of the black ones are found. The black variety, however, is sometimes, though rarely, the most numerous in certain localities. In a lot of nearly fifty, shot near the Rock River in Illinois, there was not a single grey one, all being of the black variety.

In the Northern States, the migratory squirrel replaces the Sciurus carolinensis, of the South. It exists throughout the Eastern, Middle and in some of the Western States, and is said by Audubon and Bachman to be found as far north as Hudson's Bay. In Illinois, it exists only in the northern part of the State, being replaced by the Carolina grey-squirrel in the South. It exists abundantly in Northern Illinois, Southern Wisconsin, and Central Iowa, but to the northward, I am informed by Dr. Spear B. Davis, of Shakapee, Scott county, Minnesota, that it is not observed in the southeastern portion of that Territory. I learn from Dr. Hoy that it does not exist in Northern Wisconsin. Audubon and Bachman, however, mention its being found on the Upper Missouri.

This is the most abundant of our American squirrels. It has a wide geographical range, and is prolific, and in many localities exists in almost incredible abundance. The immense numbers, heretofore mentioned as killed in one year for the bounty offered by Pennsylvania, were chiefly of this species. In Northern Ohio, I have seen them in such numbers as to be truly astonishing. Dr. Hoy relates that he knew a hunter in that State to kill one hundred and sixty in a day, and that, too, when they were not unusually abundant in the locality. In parts of Michigan, Illinois, Southern Wisconsin, and Indiana, they are no less numerous. Existing in such myriads, their depredations, of course, become at times a source of serious damage to the farmer. Fields of corn, and occasionally wheat, are much injured or entirely destroyed by them. I am informed that persons have sometimes kept watch in their fields to drive them off, and thus prevent the destruction of the whole crop. This species appears to increase in numbers, in certain districts, for a time after their settlement.

The migratory squirrel is at home both in low, heavy timber, and higher and somewhat more open woods, though it loves the heavilytimbered, elevated ground best. It never frequents the outskirts of the woods, of which the fox-squirrel is so fond, and does not affect oak openings, nor the prairie groves, unless well timbered. This is one of the most active of our squirrels, and, when out in fine weather, and not engaged in feeding, may be seen scampering about the trees, as if much exercise were necessary to its existence. It leaves the