SQUIRREL FAMILY 



175 



Although closely resembling the Eastern Gray 

 Squirrel, in some respects, the Tuft-eared Squir- 

 rel deserves separate consideration, as in many 

 ways it is nearer the typical Tree Squirrel of the 

 Old World, Sciunts I'lilgaris, from which it 

 differs only in color and in several minor char- 

 acters. Its Old World relationships are indi- 

 cated in the long ear-tufts found developed to 

 such a degree in no other North American 

 Squirrel. These ear-tufts are sufficient to dis- 

 tinguish this animal at once from the Eastern 

 Gray. 



The Tuft-eared Squirrel is characteristic of 

 the stately yellow pine forests, and in the open 

 vistas can be seen at a considerable distance. It 

 is often first detected on the ground, moving 

 about among pine cones which carpet the forest 

 floor in many places. When alarmed, it lopes 

 leisurely up to the base of a pine, usvially the 

 nest tree, which it seems reluctant to climb, 

 barking and scolding at the intruder until ap- 

 proached somewhat closely. When thoroughly 

 frightened it betakes itself to the higher 

 branches and its claws make a very audible 

 sound on the dry bark. \\'hen seated motionless 

 on an exposed limb far up in a big pine, it pre- 

 sents an odd appearance, due to its long hairy 

 eartufts. Once safely within the confines of the 

 nest tree it will occasionally scamper part way 

 down the trunk in a daring fashion, chattering 

 excitedly. In climbing up or down a tree it 

 spreads its feet far apart and by its flat appear- 

 ance reminds one strongly of a Flying Squirrel. 



The nest tree — usually a large dead pine with 

 a hollow sufficiently large for the Squirrel's 

 home — is generally located in the heaviest 

 forest, and very few of the animals live in 

 small timber or along the outskirts of the forest. 

 A few nests, composed largely of dry pine 

 needles, have been seen in the upper branches 

 of large pines, but most of the Squirrels ap- 

 pear to be living in hollow trees. A stomach 

 examined contained a mass of finely masticated 

 green material which could not be identified with 

 certainty, but probably consisted of the inner 

 bark of the terminal branches of the yellow 

 pine. One Squirrel was seen gnawing the bark 

 from a good-sized limb, apparently feeding. 

 The many freshly cut tips of branches beneath 

 the pines in the neighborhood of the nest trees 

 also attest to the Squirrels' activities. 



In the silence of the vast forest reaches, the 

 calls of this Squirrel are at times the only sounds 



which reach the ear. During rainy or inclement 

 weather, however, the Squirrels are inactive and 

 the calls rarely heard. The soft bark, sometimes 

 sounding like " wuh, wuh, wuh," and again like 

 " chuck, chuck, chuck," is usually repeated three 



RICHARDSON'S SQUIRREL 



A handsome species of the West. This one was "snapped" 

 running down a tree, near Old Faithful Inn, Yellowstone Park 



or four times at short intervals, and each call 

 is accompanied by a jerk of the tail. These 

 Squirrels are occasionally kept in confinement 

 and are said to make desirable pets. 



