lo THE OREGON NATURALIST. 



VARIATION IN THE GENUS SCIURUS. THE BOTANICAL CLUB OF CANADA. 



\v. E. SNYDER. Was organized by a committee of tlie Royal 



Society of Canada May 29th, 1895. 



Of the several genera of Mammalia to be The object is to adopt means, by local efibrts 



found in Dodge County, Wisconsin, there is and otherwise, to promote the exploration of 



none that shows as great a variation as is found the flora of every portion of Brithisli America, 



in the genus Sciurus, the Squirrels. Two to publish complete lists of the same in locrii 



typical species occur, Sciurus carolinensis (L) papers as the work goes on, and to have these 



and Sciurus niger L. Six years ago the former lists collected and carefully examined in order 



species was the more abundant, now the latter, to arrive at a correct knowledge of the precise 



I have observed it as a never failing rule that character of our flora and its geographical 



the advent of the Fox Squirrel is a signal for distribution. 



the departure of its near relative, the Gray. The method is to stnnulate, with the least 



Tet black squirrels are very rare here, not po.ssible paia|)hernali;i ol constitution or rules, 



having records of more than a dozen being seen incieased activity in our I'oanisls wherever 



in as many years. there may he few or none at present, to en- 



« Four years ago two, male and female were courage the formation of tie]<i clubs, to publish 



shot about three miles north of this city, lists of local floras m the local |)ress, etc. , etc., 



I did not see them, so am unable to say whether for wliich pnrpose the secretaries for the 



they were black specimens of the Fox or Gray provuices may appoint secretaries for counties 



Squirrel, but from the description of them given or districts, who vvill be expected in like 



me by the fanner who shot them I think they manner to transmit the same imjietus to as 



belonged to niger. I have in my collection many as possible within their own sphere of 



eight specimens, all secured within this county, action. 



of which two may be considered as types of the To cover expenses of ofiical printing and 



two species, while the other six are variations, postage, a nommal fee of 'wenty-tive cents per 



either natural freaks or due to cross-breeding, annum is expected for membership. 

 One of these, which was secured in the winter Where there is nu botnnist to commence 



of 1891, north of Fox lake, has the belly, work, all that is necessary is to get one or 



throat and inside of legs jet black, while the more collectors, wliose collections can be 



top and sides of the head, back, sides and tail determined and named at any time. .Such 



are typical of the Fox Squirrel. I am of the collectors will find their correspondence with 



opinion it is a cross breed between the pure Fox the Club officers an admirable means of 



Squirrel and a jet black specimen, which might facilitating their own botanical stinli<^s aiul of 



have been of either species. Another one has speedily transforming them into gt luiine 



the whole under parts pure white, the tail botanists. 



typicalof^a>o^««i5''ww and the balance resembles The secretary for the Province of British 



fitter. Another has the belly resembling )iii;fr Columbia is A. J. Pineo, Victoria. 



and the back cnrolimitsis. Another has on 



each side a stripe like niger^ bordered on both The deepest silver mine is at Virginii City, 



sides by a stripe of white. The other specimens and ha.'^ a depth of over 3300 feet. 



show less marked contrasts to what is consider- 



ed a tyiiical carolinanis. I have not seen a 15 \^ predicted that Oregon will some dny 



^\xx<t carolinensrs \ox over a year. Ni^cr :s produce more gold than any other sinte in the 



still abundant. Union. 



