FAMILY SCIURIDiE. . 59 



the mountains of Vermont. An unusual and general failure of their requisite food is, of 

 course, the motive for such migration. This species, in common with the others, feed on 

 berries, seeds and nuts, particularly hickory nut {Carija alba), of which they are very fond, 

 and make large hoards for their winter supply. They also attack wheat and maize in its unripe 

 state. Their depredations in this way are often so considerable that parties of men and boys 

 sally forth for what is called a squirrel hunt, and almost incredible numbers arc thus destroyed 

 in a single day. In districts well peopled, it can scarcely be considered as a species injurious 

 to man. 



The Squirrel has a wide geographical range. Of its western limits we are not informed ; 

 but along the Atlantic, it is found from Hudson's Bay to Carolina. 



THE FOX SQUIRREL. 



SCIURUS VULPINUS. 



PLATE XVIII. PIG. 3 (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Sciurus vulpinus. Gmelin. 



The Fox Squirrel. Godman, Am. Nat. Hist. Vol. 2, p. 128. 



;S. vulpinus. Grey or Fox Squirrel. Emmons, Mass. Report, 1840, p. 06. 



Characteristics. Grey above, white beneath. Much larger and more robust than the preced- 

 ing. Length 25 • - 30 • 0. 



Description. Body robust. Eyes large and prominent. Ears 0"6 high; the hair on the 

 posterior surface projecting 0"2 beyond the margins, but not forming a distinct tuft or pencil. 

 The whiskers project horizontally two inches on the sides of the nose ; a few bristles over the 

 eyes, and a patch of the same beneath and posterior to the eyes. Legs robust, with stout, 

 compressed, curved, dark brown claws. Tail exceedingly voluminous. 



Color. Sides of the nose, the chin, throat and abdomen white. Summit of the head 

 blackish, occasioned by the predominance of long uniformly black hairs. Sides of the cheeks 

 fulvous ; the hair on the ears of a somewhat brighter tint. Nape and all above of a grey 

 color, the hair being dark slate at the base, then light fawn, afterwards black, and finally 

 white at the tips ; intermixed with these, and much longer, are hairs uniformly black through- 

 out. Anterior parts of the extremities light fawn, becoming still lighter on the toes. Tail 

 indistinctly annulated with black and white, and when viewed from above, appears bordered 

 on each side with black, the white tips of the hairs projecting beyond this margination. 

 Each hair is distinctly annulated with white and black ; the last black annulation preceding 

 the white tip being wider, and of a deeper hue than the others. 



Length of head and body, 13 - 0. 



Ditto of tail (vertebrae), 11*5. 



Ditto ditto (including fur), 15*5. 



