258 THE GREAT NORTH-WEST 



shuns hot plains and valleys, however, in the southern 

 portions of its habitat, and is evidently fitted for life in a 

 cold climate. In the north it hibernates ; in the south it 

 does not, or only partially so. I enter the last clause 

 by way of caution, as I am not quite sure. I believe, 

 however, that it is beyond doubt that the little animal 

 only hibernates when the cold is severe. Its hibernation, 

 like that of all animals whose diet is of an omnivorous 

 character, is a true hibernation. It does not lay up a 

 store of food for the winter, but it makes a nest of hay 

 in which it buries itself. Like the squirrels, it has 

 cheek-pouches, which are of considerable size; but in 

 spite of this indication that its natural food is of a grani- 

 vorous kind, it feeds very largely on insects, especially 

 ants and beetles. 



Another little rodent, of omnivorous diet, and true 

 hibernation habit, is the American flying squirrel. This 

 animal, in my opinion, approaches very nearly to the 

 mouse tribe ; and I think that it would be just as correct 

 to call it a flying rat. Its enormous eye indicates that 

 its habits are nocturnal ; and it has a bushy tail which 

 is flattened horizontally to assist its spurious flight. Not- 

 withstanding its large eye, it is about much in broad 

 daylight, going, like the red and grey squirrels, in large 

 parties. It is found in the profound depths of the 

 forests, which the jumping mouse is not, although the 

 latter animal is found on almost all descriptions of 

 ground, except, as I have said, hot plains. 



I am not sure that the flying squirrel, Sciuropterus 

 volucella, inhabits the northern portion of Michigan. My 

 notes, I find, do not make particular mention of that ; 

 but it was abundant hi Michigan proper, Ohio, Pennsyl- 

 vania, and other parts which I consider to come within the 

 basin of the Great Lakes. Though described as a " flying " 

 squirrel, it is, like all other flying mammals, bats excepted, 

 simply furnished with a natural parachute, enabling it 

 to drop great distances without developing a dangerous 



