Squirrels of B. America, 433 



Hudson's Bay squirrel, and its kindred species existing on the 

 Rocky Mountains, differ considerably from those of the larger 

 squirrels ; they are sharper, more rapidly uttered, and of longer 

 continuance ; seeming intermediate between the bark of the latter 

 and the chipping calls of the ground-squirrels, (Tamias.) The 

 barking of the squirrel may be heard occasionally in the forest 

 during all hours of the day, but is uttered most frequently in the 

 morning and afternoon. Any sudden noise in the woods, or the 

 distant report of a gun, is almost certain, during fine weather, to 

 be succeeded by the barking of the squirrel. This is either a note 

 of playfulness or of love. Whilst barking it seats itself for a few- 

 moments on a branch of a tree, elevates its tail over its back to- 

 wards the head, and bending the point backwards continues to 

 jerk its body, and elevate and depress the tail at the repetition of 

 each successive note. Like the mocking bird and the nightingale, 

 however, the squirrel, very soon after he begins to sing, (for to his 

 own ear, at least, his voice must be musical,) also commences 

 skipping and dancing ; he leaps playfully from bough to bough, 

 sometimes pursuing a rival or his mate for a few moments, and 

 then reiterating with renewed vigour his querulous and monoto- 

 nous notes. 



One of the most common habits of the squirrel is that of dodg- 

 ing around the tree when approached, and keeping on the oppo- 

 site side, so as to completely baffle the hunter who is alone. 

 Hence it is almost essential to the sportsman's success, that he 

 shoulii be accompanied by a second person, who, by walking 

 slowly round the tree on which the squirrel has been seen, and 

 beating the bushes, and making a good deal of noise, causes him 

 to move to the side where the gunner is silently stationed, wait- 

 ing for a view of him to fire. When a squirrel is seated on a 

 branch, and fancies himself undiscovered, should some one ap- 

 proach, he immediately depresses his tail, and extending it along 

 the branch behind him, presses his body so closely to tlie bark, 

 that he frequently escapes the most practised eye. Notwithstand- 

 ing the agility of these animals, man is not their only, nyr even 

 their most formidable enemy. The owl makes a frequent meal of 

 those species which continue to seek their food late in the evening 

 and early in the morning. Several species of hawks, especially the 

 red-tailed, (Buteo horealis,) and the red-shouldered, (Buteo linea- 

 tus,) pounce upon them by day. The black snake, rattle snake, 

 and other species of snakes, can secure them ; and the ermine, the 



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