444 Life-histories of Northern Animals 



horizon before the sombre shades that mark the approach of 

 winter night commence to gather about the snowclad forest. 

 Whether bright stars sparkle and shine through a frosty 

 atmosphere, or heavy, leaden clouds overhang the scene, 

 makes little difference to the Northern Flying-squirrel. He 

 emerges from his warm nest, takes a hasty survey of the sur- 

 roundings lest some wily owl should lurk hard by, glides 

 silently to a neighbouring tree, and starts forthwith upon his 

 nightly tour in quest of food and sport. 



" Prompted either by hunger or curiosity, or by a combina- 

 tion of the two, he examines every unusual object with scrupu- 

 lous care, and as one result is always getting into traps set for 

 valuable fur — and this whether they are baited with mammal, 

 bird, or fish. Indeed, the nature of the bait seems to be a 

 matter of the most trivial consequence, as it often consists of 

 Red and Flying-squirrels that have previously been taken in 

 the trap. Even in this case another is as likely to be the 

 next thing caught as any animal in the wilderness. Hence 

 it happens that the trapper comes to look upon him as an 

 unmitigated nuisance." 



FOOD Nuts are doubtless the favourite food of this bright-eyed 



night-prowler, but these are scarce in northern Manitoba, and 

 spruce seeds probably are its mainstay. Moreover, there is 

 every reason (except direct evidence) to believe that the 

 Northern Flying-squirrel, like its relative, will eat bark, buds, 

 fruit, seeds, nuts, insects, birds, or meat; is, indeed, perfectly 

 omnivorous. 



The following curious incident from the pen of Prowler " ^^ 

 refers to the present species in New Brunswick: 



"An odd experience befell Mr. Hunter during his return 

 from a hunting trip to the settlement last fall. One evening 

 he left a candle burning on the table in the Forty-Nine-Mile 

 Camp while he went out to the hovel to look after the horses. 

 To his surprise, when he returned to the camp the candle was 

 not only extinguished, but could nowhere be found! Mr. 



" Frank H. Risteen in Forest and Stream. 



