320 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



noise on the shore arrested my attention. A Squirrel soon 

 appeared at the water's edge, but turned back upon perceiving 

 the boat. The stream, which was about twenty feet (approxi- 

 mately six metres) in width, here flowed through an extensive 

 marsh, the nearest tree being more than loo yards (nearly loo 

 metres) away. Surprised at seeing a Squirrel in such a place, 

 I stopped the boat, holding fast to a few bushes on the opposite 

 bank, and after remaining motionless a few moments had the 

 satisfaction of seeing him return, climb out on a little bush, and 

 swim across. Again, June 28, 1878, while rowing on Branting- 

 ham Lake, in Lewis County, I saw a Red-squirrel swimming 

 about midway between *the point' and the main shore 

 opposite [one mile]. He was moving toward the point, and, as 

 I reached him, climbed up on the oar, ran over my back and 

 legs, then along the gunwale, jumping ahead from the bow in 

 the direction toward which he was swimming when first seen. 

 On overtaking him he again came aboard and jumped ahead 

 as before. This was done a number of times, the Squirrel 

 gained each time two or three boat's length, till he finally suc- 

 ceeded in reaching the shore. I have repeatedly been told by 

 hunters and guides that they occasionally meet these Squirrels 

 swimming various lakes and rivers in the Wilderness, and 

 James Higby tells that in June, 1877, he saw as many as 50 

 crossing Big Moose Lake (one and a half miles), and that 

 they were all headed the same way — to the north. 



** I am informed by A. K. Fisher that at the southern end 

 at Lake George, in early autumn, it is sometimes an everyday 

 occurrence to see Red-squirrels swimming across the lake, 

 from west to east [about two miles] — never in the opposite direc- 

 tion. The chestnut grows abundantly on the eastern side of 

 the lake, but it is comparatively scarce on the western, and 

 these extensive migrations always take place in years when the 

 yield of chestnuts is large. 



"A few Squirrels are occasionally seen crossing the lake 

 when the nut-crop is only moderate.' In September Mrs. 

 Fisher was angling between Diamond Island and the west 

 shore when a Red-squirrel swam to the boat and was lifted in 



