Squirrels of B. America. 435 



leave tlie nest. The whole of the young family may be often seen 

 clinging around or playing about the same tree, and when alarm- 

 ed, all run into some small hole and disappear ; sometimes one 

 may be seen with his head at the hole curiously watching the 

 intruder upon their sports. 



The Gray Squirrel it is said does not lay up a hoard of winter 

 provisions. It is known to feed on the larvae of various species 

 of insects, but its principal food consists of nuts, seeds and 

 grain. The hard shell of the hickory nut aflfords no protection 

 to the embryo tree within, against the sharp incisors of this 

 squirrel. The animal first gnaws off the thick pericarp of the 

 nut and then makes a small hole in the thinnest part of the shell 

 immediatel}'' over the kernel, through which it is all completely 

 extracted. This i^ performed in an incredibly short space of 

 time, and one squirrel will soon destroy what in course of time 

 might have grown into a forest of some acres in extent. It is 

 particularly fond of young Indian corn, and squirrel hunts got up 

 by the farmers in retaliation are too well known to need any 

 description here. 



The enemies of this species are the fox, weasel, lynx, red tailed 

 hawk, &c. The latter, when unaccompanied by his mate, finds 

 it no easy undertaking to accomplish the capture, as the nimble 

 squirrel twists and dodges around the tree or large branch so 

 quickly that the hawk, after an hour's baffling, is forced to retire 

 from sheer exhaustion. It is said, however, that these birds some- 

 times hunt in couples, and then the squirrel falls an easy prey, as 

 in dodging away from one of his pursuers he often springs within 

 reach of the talons of the other. This animal is remarkable for 

 the extent of its migrations, which appear to have been more 

 frequent in former times than at present. 



Audubon says, " the farmers in the Western wilds regard them 

 with sensations which may be compared to the anxious apprehen- 

 sions of the Eastern nations at the flight of the devouring locust. 

 At such periods, which usually occur in autumn, the squirrels 

 congregate in different districts of the far North-west ; and in irre- 

 gular troops make their way instinctively in an eastern direction. 

 Mountains, cleared fields, the narrow bays of some of our lakes 

 or our broad rivers, present no unconquerable impediments. On- 

 ward they come, devouring on their way every thing that is suit- 

 ed to their taste, laying waste the corn and wheat-fields of the 

 farmer ; and as their numbers are thinned by the gun, the dog 



