SCIUKUS CAROI.INENSIS LKUCOTIS. I 33 



northern New Jersey, I have myself taken more than a hundred 

 youn^i;- from these outside nests. 



A number found at EHzabeth, New Jersey, during March and the 

 early part of April, 1872, contained young. They were, according 

 to my note book, " composed of sticks, lined with the inner bark of 

 trees and vines, mixed with other soft substances. They are entirely 

 covered over above, the entrance beino- on one side. From the 

 ground below they cannot be distinguished from crows' nests." In 

 many instances dead leaves enter largely into their composition. 



The number of young produced at a birth varies from three to five, 

 exceptional litters containing six They are born in a very diminu- 

 tive and helpless condition, wholly devoid of hair, and with the eyes 

 not yet open. They usually remain in the nest fully two months, 

 and do not shift for themselves till sonie time later. On the 19th of 

 May, 1877, Mr. Walter R. Nichols and I took three half-grown 

 young from a nest at Brandford. Connecticut. It so happened at the 

 time that Mr. Nichols had a cat which had recently given birth to a 

 kitten. The kitten we destroyed, and in its stead placed one of the 

 Squirrels. Presently the cat returned to the barn, eyed the stranger 

 suspiciously for a moment, and then entered the nest. The young 

 Squirrel, who had now been several hours away from his mother and 

 was evidently quite hungry, approached the cat in the most familiar 

 manner possible. After a little hesitation the latter lay down beside 

 the new comer, who lost no time in discovering the object of his 

 desire, and forthwith commenced to nurse, keeping it up with an 

 energy and perseverance that must have proved as satisfactory to the 

 cat as a whole litter of kittens. From this time on the two were the 

 most inseparable of friends ; in fact, the cat seemed quite pleased 

 with the change and no doubt considered the personal appearance of 

 her new charge, who was now well formed and possessed a most 

 extraordinary tail, a great improvement on that of her own ill-shaped 

 offspring. The Squirrel grew and thrived under the devoted atten- 



