176 DR. T. WESLEY MILLS ON 



wpper rail of the fence on which it was placed, or sat on top of it, in short, did every thin o- 

 but enter it ; all the while seeming to enjoy the whole greatly. 



Having se(nired a couple of Grround Squirrels in the manner described, I kept them 

 under observation for the period during which they survived, viz., one for about a 

 month and the other for between two and three months. From the first, one of them 

 seemed to take more kindly to his new surroundings than the other ; one appeared 

 shy and dull, while his fellow seemed as happy as any Chipmunk might be. They were 

 captured in September, and it has often occurred to me that their habit of hibernation had 

 something to do with the behaviour of the one ; though we should expect that, in such a 

 matter, both would be equally or considerably affected. The degree to which, while 

 retaining their original habits, the latter became modified in confinement, furnished me 

 with an interesting study, and suggested many problems. My experience does not agree 

 wholly with that of Audubon and Bachmann, who say in their " Quadrupeds of North 

 America : " — " "VVe are doubtful whether this species can at any time be perfectly tamed." 

 The one of my Chipmunks that survived longest became in a short time so tame that he 

 would eat from the hand, and even looked to be fed in this way. True, any noise, or 

 any unusual movement, might startle the creature, when he would make the quick dart 

 away so characteristic of the species in the wild state. But from this he very quickly 

 recovered, and the tendency to be thus frightened grew less and less. The authors 

 referred to also state that " they appeared to have some aversion to playing on a wheel, 

 which is so favorite an amusement of the true squirrels." This does not at all agree with 

 my observations ; for though at first my Chipmunk was apt to be startled when he found 

 the revolver of his cage moving on his entering it, he soon got used to it, and delighted 

 in it as much as any squirrel could — in fact, he used it by night and by day, manifesting 

 an ability to control it which speaks much for tlie readiness with which such animals 

 adapt themselves to new and difficult movements, and which shews how highly 

 developed those parts of the brain must be which are concerned in the balancing and 

 kindred functions. I may here correct another statement of the same authors. They 

 maintain that squirrels do not lap fluids as the dog and cat. From repeated observations 

 I know this to be an error, so far as the Ground Squirrel is concerned, at least. 



It has usually been assumed that squirrels, and indeed most rodents, feed wholly on 

 vegetable food, and that in those instances in which the contrary has been observed there 

 was evidence of a perverted or morbid appetite. Audubon and Bachmann, however, state 

 that the Flying Squirrel {Pleroviys vohiceila. Des.) has been caught in traps baited with 

 meat. A number of writers,' especially within the past few years, have drawn attention 

 to flesh-eating habits in several rodents, mostly under peculiar circumstances. Some 

 interesting questions arise in this connection: (1) In how far is any rodent carnivorous, 

 when abundance of all the different kinds of vegetable food that the animal uses is at 

 hand? (2) What is the relation between confinement and altered appetites? (3) In how 

 far are such altered appetites CA'idence of morbid or perverted conditions, and in how far 

 simply the expression of physiological needs ? The whole sirbject, I am inclined to think, 

 might be placed on a broad and sound phvsiological foundation ; but, before that can be 

 done, many acciirate observations are recjuired, and possibly also many series of experi- 



' Science, vol. viii; Canadian Naturalist, vol. iii. 



