232 MAMMALIA. 



tion of its foster mother, and the pair soon became the centre of 

 attraction in the neighborhood. 



It is stated by Audubon and Bachinan that the young- are brought 

 forth in May and June, which statement is at least two months out 

 of the way. Even in this northern region the period when the impor- 

 tant event takes place is rarely later than the first of April, and 

 is frequently in March. The cause of their error, however, is not 

 hard to explain ; for if they were unacquainted with the very immature 

 condition of the young at birth, and were ignorant of the time required 

 to attain full growth, they might easily have made the mistake of 

 considering young found in the nest in June to be only a few weeks 

 from birth, when in reality they were two or three months old. In 

 many localities south and west of the Adirondacks the Gray Squirrel 

 commonly has two litters in a season, the second usually being born 

 in September or October. 



In closing the biography of this interesting species it seems hardly 

 necessary to remark that the Black and Gray Squirrels are identical, 

 both color varieties bein^ sometimes found in the same litter.* 



o 



Fifteen years ago the two forms were about equally abundant along 

 the western border of the region under consideration ; but the Black 



o 



has gradually become less and less common, till now it may almost be 

 regarded as one of our rarer mammals. However, it is still abundant 



O 



in a number of places bordering Lake Ontario, both in this State and 

 in Canada. 



SCIURUS NIGER CINEREUS (Linn.) Allen. 



Fox Squirrel. 



The Fox Squirrel cannot at present be regarded as other than a 

 rare or accidental straggler in the Adirondack region. So far as 

 I am aware, the only specimen taken here of late was killed by 



* The case has a well-known parallel in our common mottled owl, in which species both red and 

 gray plumages are occasionally met with in the same nest. 



