62 NEW- YORK FAUNA. 



Cheeks, and all beneath, white, separated along the flanks by a black line, which in some 

 individuals is very indistinct : in specimens from high northern latitudes, it appears to be 

 generally absent. Tail deep reddish brown above, with blackish hairs on the borders ; on 

 the under side it is rufous in the middle, then black, and tipped with brown. 



Length of head and body, 8 • 0. 



Ditto of tail (vertebra), 5 • 0. 



Ditto ditto, including fur, 6\5. 



This familiar and well known species is found from the Arctic circle to the mountainous 

 ranges of North Carolina and Tennessee. We observed, in the northern part of the State, a 

 remarkable variety, which presented the following appearance : The whole upper part of the 

 head and body, with the exception of a large reddish spot on the left flank, was of a light 

 ash grey ; the reddish spot was separated from the white beneath, by a deep black border. 

 Tail white, intermixed with a few dark hairs. 



The Red Squirrel is a noisy little animal, and its twittering note of chick-a-ree has suggested 

 one of its popular names. It feeds on fir-cones, hickory and other nuts, and also on the seeds 

 and buds of trees. In the northern counties, its greatest enemy is the Sable, and from him it 

 requires all its well known agility to escape. It takes to the water readily, arid, as we have 

 noticed, swims tolerably well. It dives, too, in order to avoid a threatened blow. It feeds also 

 upon wheat, rye and buckwheat ; but its injuries to the farmer must be very limited. Its habits 

 appear to be influenced by the climate ; for at the north it forms deep burrows in the earth, 

 under the roots of trees, to protect itself from the cold ; whilst in this State, it contents itself 

 with occupying a hollow in a tree. Its flesh is juicy and tender, and is generally preferred, 

 as an article of food, to the other species. Its geographical range is from the mountainous 

 districts of North Carolina, to the sixty-eighth degree of north latitude. 



THE STRIPED SQUIRREL. 



SCIURCS STRIATUS. 



PLATE XVI. FIG. 1.— (STATE COLLECTION.) 



Sciurus striatus. Lin. 12th ed. p. 87. 



Striped Dormouse. Penn. Arct. Zool. Vol. 1, p. 126. 



Das Schwartz Gestreichte Erd-Eichhom. Schrebee, Vol. 2, p. 71)0. 



■S. striatus. Harlan, p. 183. Godmah, Vol. 2, p. 142, figure. 



jS. americanus. KuHL. 



S. (Tamias) hjsteri. Richardson, F. B. A. p. 181, pi. 15. 



The Striped Squirrel Emmons, Mass. Report, 1840, p. 68. 



Characteristics. Reddisli brown ; a black dorsal stripe, and a shorter light-colored lateral stripe 

 bordered with black. 



Description. Body shorter and more robust for its size, than in the preceding species. Head 

 slightly rounded towards the nose. Ears ovate, rounded ; the hair slightly exceeding the mar- 



