Red-squirrel 321 



by the tail. After resting a few minutes it ran out on an oar, 

 jumped into the water and swam to the island (which is half a 

 mile from the west shore), and thence, doubtless, to the chest- 

 nut groves on the eastern side of the lake." 



** Mr. Winslow C. Watson, in his History of Essex County, 

 says: *The autumn of 1851 afforded one of these periodical 

 invasions of Essex County. It is well-authenticated that the 

 Red-squirrel was constantly seen in the widest parts [about 7 

 miles] of the lake (Lake Champlain), far out from land, 

 swimming towards the shore, as if familiar with the service; 

 their heads above the water, and their bushy tails erect and 

 expanded, and apparently spread to the breeze. Reaching 

 land, they stopped for a moment, and relieving their active and 

 vigorous little bodies from the water by an energetic shake or 

 two, they bounded into the woods, as light and free as if they 

 had made no extraordinary effort.'" 



These observations bring up the question of migration, migra 

 I have little faith in the migration of Squirrels. In autumn the 

 young are full grown; all the Squirrel population is bustling 

 about preparing for the winter. They seem so much more 

 numerous than in summer that one often hears the remark 

 that "the Squirrels have come" — but among Red-squirrels, at 

 least, it is not in any sense due to a regular migration. 



The evidence of the above paragraph from Dr. Merriam's 

 book is so strong, however, that we must admit for the Red- 

 squirrel of the Adirondack at least, and doubtless some other 

 peculiar localities, a certain amount of migration when driven 

 by scarcity of food. I have seen nothing of the kind in Mani- 

 toba, Ontario, or Connecticut. 



In the summer the Red-squirrel feeds on almost any kind food 

 of nuts and seeds. Berries also are added, but not at all to the 

 extent that the Black and Gray-squirrels use them. The Red 

 is a little unaccountable in some of its tastes. I have known 

 one tear open vast quantities of apples to get at the seeds with- 

 out eating any of the pulp, though it does sometimes eat the 



