460 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol. 84 



TAMIASaURUS HUDSONICUS LOQUAX (Bangs) 



Eastern Red Squirrel, Chickaree, or Pinet 



The southern Hmit of the range of the eastern red squirrel is found 

 along the border of northern West Virginia. A summer specimen 

 from Berkeley Springs in the Potomac River drainage is referred to 

 this race. A. B. Brooks (1929, p. 542) writes that red squirrels taken 

 at Oglebay Park, Ohio County, in the Ohio River drainage have been 

 identified as T. h. loquax. 



Morgan Covinty: Berkeley Springs, 1. 



SCIURUS CAROLINENSIS LEUCOTIS Capper 



Northern Gray Squirrel 



Gray squirrels seemingly prefer the lower levels of the mountainous 

 portions of West Virginia. They are found in both deciduous and 

 mixed woods. In the eastern part of the State, during the summer 

 months especially, they occur on the lower mountain slopes. When 

 hickorynuts and other mast are plentiful in fall, they do not come 

 down to the lowlands in search of food. Wlien food is scarce, however, 

 they migrate to the lowlands where they feed on buckeyes and what- 

 ever else is available. In the western part of the State they are found 

 most commonl}^ in the deciduous woods on the ridges that border the 

 stream valleys. 



All the W^est Virginia specimens are referred to the northern race 

 of gray squirrel. Winter specimens from the eastern part of the State 

 have the light-gray coloration of leucotis, including the light clay- 

 colored dorsal band and the predominance of whitish- or whitish-gray- 

 tipped hairs in the tail, as well as large hind feet and long tail. Sum- 

 mer specimens likewise have a coloration similar to the northern race. 

 The average measurements of nine females are: Total length, 473 

 (430-496); tail, 212 (196-226); hind foot, 67.6 (65-69). For eight 

 males the average measurements are: Total length, 471.7 (459-490); 

 tail, 210.7 (195-220); hind foot, 66.7 (63-71). 



Specimens from the western part of the State are not typical, but 

 in coloration they are nearest to the northern race. Winter specimens 

 from Cabell Count}^ have the upperparts light grayish as in leucotis, 

 but they approximate true carolinensis from the Carolinas by having 

 smaller hind feet and shorter tail. Summer specimens from Barbour 

 County likewise agree more closely in coloration with the northern 

 race but approach the southern race more closely in the lengths of 

 the hind feet and tail. 



Melanism is common at some localities. The melanistic phase 

 appears to have been particularly prevalent in 1895 at Frankford. Six 

 melanistic specimens are grizzled on the side, the clay-colored subapical 

 band persisting on the long black hairs. 



