308 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



COLOUR In sum?ner the typical Red-squirrel is a sort- of olive 



pepper-and-salt above, becoming redder on the legs, feet, tail, 

 and ears; and darker and more olive, on the head between the 

 eyes; pure white on the hps, chin, throat, ring around eye, 

 under parts of body and inner parts of limbs; with a black 

 stripe extending along the side of the body between the dark 

 upper colour and the white below. Near the end of the tail is 

 a broad tapering band of black, and the tail is finished with a 

 border of yellowish or grayish colour. 



In winter it loses the black stripe along each side, but adds 

 a broad red band down the back and tail, and a speckling of 

 dark gray over the white below. 



Sexes alike. 



In any part of its region, or in any of its coats, it is known 

 at once as a red squirrel, with a white breast. 



Its nearest relatives are: 



The Douglas Squirrel(iS. douglasi Bachman) which is readily 

 distinguished by its eartufts and by its orange or buff under parts. 



Fremont Squirrel {S. fremonti Aud. and Bach.) which is 

 characterized by white-edged tail, a yellowish rufous backhand, 

 gray upper parts, and white breast speckled with gray. 



The following races are recognized: 



hudsonicus Erxl., the typical form. 



gymnicus Bangs. Smallest of all the races, hind-foot 

 small, colour dark, tail dark with red or orange 

 fringe; breast, peppered gray in winter. 



loquax Bangs, a large form, very red above and al- 

 ways pure white below. 



minnesota Allen, largest of all, hind-foot large and a 

 pale form, most obviously differing from hudsoni- 

 cus in having under side of tail all gray instead 

 of rusty red. 



dakotensis Allen, a large and very pale form, quite 

 the palest of all and white below. 



baileyi Allen, a very large, more olive and darker 

 above than the type washed with fulvous below. 



