SOUTHERN RED SQUIRREL 25 



but with the cutting' over of the heavily timbered areas and the 

 more or less wanton destruction of these animals the numbers 

 are becoming much reduced. At Iowa City this form is much less 

 common now than fifteen years ago. Towards the southcentral 

 part of the state it is seldom seen while towards the northwest in 

 Clay county it is reported as fairly common. Other localities 

 from which specimens have been sent or where the species is re- 

 ported as being at least common are : Muscatine, Oxford, Monti- 

 cello, Fort Dodge, Paralta, Des Moines, and Osage. 



SOUTHERN RED SQUIRREL. RED SQUIRREL. 

 CHICKAREE. 



Sciurus hudsoniciis loqua<x (Bangs.) 



Sciurus hiidsomcns loquax Bangs, Proc. Biol. Soc. Wash., X, 

 161, 1896. 



Description. — Summer: Upper parts reddish brown ; a conspicu- 

 ous black lateral stripe separates the color of the back from the 

 white under parts, which on some specimens are tinged with rusty 

 tail mostly deep rufous brown, the terminal hairs blackish at tips 

 front of fore legs and upper surface of hind feet yellowish. Winter 

 A broad median dorsal stripe of bright rufous brown or orange 

 rufous extends from between ears to tip of tail; sides olive gray; 

 lateral stripe wanting or but faintly indicated ; under parts gray- 

 ish white; under surface of tail olive gray, the hairs on the sides 

 and tip of tail with a subterminal band of black and tipped with 

 tawny. Soles of feet furred. 



Measurements. — Total length, 12.50 inches; tail vertebrae, 5.00 

 inches; hind foot, 1.85 inches. 



In summer the red squirrel is of a reddish brown color with 

 the under parts white or grayish white, while in winter the upper 

 parts are grayer with the bright rufous stripe down the back and 

 the under parts also grayer. The tail is somewhat flattened; 

 in winter the ears are tipped with long hairs, and the soles of the 

 feet bear soft hair. 



Habits, Distribution, Etc. — The red squirrel is most at home 

 in the well wooded areas of the eastern half of the state, but 

 occurs also though not so commonly in the forests of western Iowa. 

 Usually it makes its home in a hollow log or tree, but sometimes a 

 deserted woodpecker hole is chosen for a habitation. In rare 



