NOTES ON SCIURUS FOSSOR Peale. 



BY F. STEPHENS. 



In southern California the California gray squirrel is found only 

 in the pine region, and principally in the lower part of that region 

 where oaks are interspersed among the pines. My acquaintance 

 with the species in life is confined to San Bernardino and San Diego 

 counties, where I have seen it as low as 4,500 feet altitude and as 

 high as 8,500. 



In southern California this squirrel does not hibernate, though 

 probably not coming out of its nest in very stormy weather. It 

 does not appear to store up much food for use in stormy weather, 

 but depends mainly on foraging even in winter. Their homes ap- 

 pear to be hollows in trees all the year through. These are lined 

 with leaves, strips of bark, etc. The nests composed of twigs with 

 the leaves on them, seen in the tree tops, are used for bringing forth 

 and rearing the young, though perhaps used by adults in the heated 

 term. June 23, 1885, I obtained a female and four young from 

 such a nest. The nest was in the summit of a large mountain 

 alder, growing along a stream on the south side of Grayback, the 

 highest peak of the San Bernardino Mountains, at about 8,000 feet 

 altitude. The surrounding forest was principally large yellow pines 

 and evergreen oaks. These young were yet blind and their pelage 

 was so short as to scarcely hide the skin. 



The breeding season is rather long. In my notes I find records 

 relating to the breeding of this species as follows: March 25, four 

 females shot, one with three embryos, one with two, one with one 

 and one with none; May 28, a female taken which appeared to have 

 reared young recently; June 23, female and four young taken as 

 mentioned above; July 3, one female taken was suckling young and 

 another contained two small embryos; July 5, female taken con- 

 tained one half-grown embryo. 



As far as these records go they show the number of young to be 

 one to four, with two and three as the usual number. They may 

 be taken as indicating the rearing of young twice a year, but I feel 

 in doubt of this being the case. As I have taken ungrown speci- 

 mens in spring I think it takes a year at least for individuals to 

 grow to maturity. As the species does no harm to crops and is 

 fair eating it should be protected, atleast during the breeding season. 



