174 



MAMMALS OF AAIERICA 



In the New York Zoological Park it blithely 

 runs about in the snow when the latter takes 

 pains to avoid it. Often the Fox Squirrel will 

 be out when none of the other occupants of the 

 rodents' cages are visible. It seems to me, how- 

 ever, that the Fox Squirrels are not as nimble 

 on foot, or as active and daring in the tree- 

 tops, as the Gray Squirrels." 



Mr. \Mtmer Stone says of the southern species 

 which is the more common type : " In rough 

 weather they keep close at home in their hollow 

 trees, choosing to go hungry rather than face 



tops, and here they bring the cones which thej- 

 cut off, just as the Red Squirrels do the cones of 

 the white pines in the North, biting off the scales 

 in order to get at the seeds in a similar manner. 

 The scales scattered about the foot of their tree 

 often betray them to the Squirrel-hunter. Thev 

 are much hunted as an article of food, being well 

 flavored and heavy, but it requires skillful 

 watching to kill many of them." 



The Fox Squirrel's home is chiefly in the 

 southeastern and gi^ilf States. It is found as 

 far west as Louisiana, and one species, the 



Photograph by Dr. R. W. Shufeldt 



FOX SQUIRREL 



The Fox Squirrels, which are found chiefly in the Southern States, 

 are the largest members of the tribe in America 



the cold. In warm weather they gather wild 

 fruit, berries and mushrooms and go into the 

 corn fields as soon as the ears have reached the 

 milky stage. Among the southern pines they 

 make large nests of Spanish moss in the tree- 



Yellow-bellied, along the Mississippi Valley as 

 far north as Wisconsin. An observer in Colo- 

 rado states that a few have been introduced there 

 from the East, but thus far have not increased 

 to any appreciable numbers. 



TUFT-EARED SQUIRREL 

 Sciurus aberti IV oodhouse 



Other Name. — .'Vbert's Squirrel. 



General Description. — h large tree Squirrel about 

 the size of the Eastern Gray and resembling it some- 

 what in color. Head blunt and rounded ; ears tall and 

 noticeably tufted, especially in winter; body large: 

 tail less than half the total length, broad and bushy; 

 feet of moderate length ; pelage full and moderately 

 soft. Only three subspecies are known. 



Dental Formula. — Incisors, 



I — I 

 I — I 



Canines, 



Premolars. --? : Molars, ^-^=22. 

 1— I ' ' 3—3 



Pelage. — Adults; Sexes identical. Summer. Above 

 plumbeous gray with broad dorsal area of reddish- 

 brown; under surface, including tail, pure white; sides 



with a black line between gray of upper surface and 

 white of underparts ; tail black at tip, mixed gray and 

 black above, white beneath ; ears with conspicuous 

 tufts. Winter. General coloration much as in suinmer 

 but ears clothed with chestnut hair at base and tufted 

 with blackish hairs more than an inch in length. 

 Young: Similar to adults. 



Measurements. — Total length. 20.2 inches ; tail 

 vertebrae. 8.9 inches ; hind foot, 2.5 inches ; ear from 

 crown. 1.5 inches; length of ear tufts in winter, 1.5 

 inches. 



Range. — Pine-covered plateaus and mountains of 

 northeastern .Arizona eastward into New Mexico. 



Food. — Pine nuts, acorns, ground nuts and green 

 vegetation. 



