78 ANIMAL INTELLIGENCE 



SIZE AND COLOURING. Throughout the vast northern 

 region of coniferous forests inhabited by the Chickaree, 

 between the Atlantic Ocean and Mackenzie River, the 

 animal presents great uniformity of size and colouring. It 

 is considerably larger than the varieties to the south and 

 west, and the colour, instead of being decidedly rufous 

 above, as in the familiar Red Squirrel of civilised regions, is 

 of a grey-fulvous tinge. Melanism and albinism, or any 

 variation whatever, is extremely rare. I obtained a specimen 

 at Athabasca Lake, which is pure white beneath, from the 

 nose to the tail, the second half of which is also perfectly 

 white. 



ENEMIES. The marten seems to be the principal enemy 

 of the northern Chickaree, although they occasionally fall a 

 prey to the lynx, and they also appear to keep a watchful 

 eye on the mink, the fisher, and the weasel. 



FEIGNING. As to the Chickaree's habits of feigning, I 

 may mention a case which came under my observation on 

 Lake Superior. Being detained one day by a head-wind, 

 my men amused themselves by capturing, alive, a mink and 

 a Chickaree, both of which they put into an empty box 

 with bars in front. The squirrel seemed to dislike the 

 presence of the mink more than he did his captivity, and 

 crouched in a corner with his head drooping and his eyes 

 shut, as if very sick or totally disabled. After the mink 

 had got over his first fright, and begun to take in the situa- 

 tion, he ventured to attack the squirrel, which immediately 

 displayed great courage and activity, completely mastering 

 his enemy for the time. Next morning, however, the poor 

 squirrel was found dead with his throat cut. 



