132 



HARDWICKE'S SCIENCE-GOSSIP. 



every trace of similarity to true language, which 

 the ordinary cries and calls of many mammals and 

 all birds, I believe, really are. On the other hand, 

 as already stated, the family keep together for a 

 year, which seems to contradict the preceding re- 

 marks; but it must be borne in mind, that as these 

 animals arc nocturnal in their habits, it is very 

 difficult to accurately and unquestionably determine 

 what precisely is the routine of their daily life. I 

 have long noticed, however, that while associated 



Like true squirrels, these too gather up a goodly 

 store of acorns and small nuts, which they hide in 

 the hollow of some tall tree, always, for their winter 

 use. Occasionally, during the winter, they bestir 

 themselves, and enjoy a meal, and sometimes ven- 

 ture more, even with the ground covered with snow, 

 for I have caught more than one in box traps set 

 for rabbits. 



Except that occasionally they stray into stables 

 and other out-buildings, their home is in the high 



Fig. tti. Flying Squirrel [Pteromys voluce'h). 



they act wholly independently, and when a pair is 

 caged, the survivor shows no indication of sorrow 

 at the death of his mate. The very opposite of 

 all this is the case with both the common chip- 

 muck (see Science-Gossip for February, 1S75) 

 and our grey squirrel, and I am told, also with the 

 little red squirrel (Sciurus hudsonius). 



When the night is well-nigh gone, these tireless 

 flying squirrels cease their incessant exercisings, as 

 their movements seem to have been, and seeking 

 their nest, one by one they disappear, and roll them- 

 selves into balls at the bottom of the nest, making 

 use of their tails for both coverlid and pillow. Thus 

 stowed away to their satisfaction, they pass from 

 twelve to sixteen hours in profound slumber. 



woods, and there alone they truly are at home. 

 Unlike our grey squirrel, they are not content to 

 put up with saplings and tangled under-brush, when 

 once the " primitive growth " is cut off. That gone, 

 and our pretty, active, but " dull " flying squirrels, 

 too, are gone. 



Charles C. Abbott, M.D. 

 Prospect Hill, Trenton, New Jersey. 



"The task which geologists Lave to perform is 

 not unlike that of writing the history of a forgotten 

 nation from fragmentay inscriptions in an unknown 

 character and language, and it has to be done in 

 somewhat the same \ix$"—Bonney's " Manual of 

 Elementary Geology" 



