THE DOUGLAS SQUIKBEL 227 



paws. Probably over fifty per cent, of all the cones 

 ripened on the Sierra are cut off and handled by 

 the Douglas alone, and of those of the Big Trees per 

 haps ninety per cent, pass through his hands : the 

 greater portion is of course stored away for food to 

 last during the winter and spring, but some of 

 them are tucked separately into loosely covered 

 holes, where some of the seeds germinate and 

 become trees. But the Sierra is only one of the 

 many provinces over which he holds sway, for his 

 dominion extends over all the Redwood Belt of the 

 Coast Mountains, and far northward throughout 

 the majestic forests of Oregon, "Washington, and 

 British Columbia. I make haste to mention these 

 facts, to show upon how substantial a foundation 

 the importance I ascribe to him rests. 



The Douglas is closely allied to the Eed Squirrel 

 or Chickaree of the eastern woods. Ours may be a 

 lineal descendant of this species, distributed west 

 ward to the Pacific by way of the Great Lakes and 

 the Rocky Mountains, and thence southward along 

 our forested ranges. This view is suggested by the 

 fact that our species becomes redder and more 

 Chickaree-like in general, the farther it is traced 

 back along the course indicated above. But what 

 ever their relationship, and the evolutionary forces 

 that have acted upon them, the Douglas is now the 

 larger and more beautiful animal. 



From the nose to the root of the tail he mea 

 sures about eight inches ; and his tail, which he so 

 effectively uses in interpreting his feelings, is about 

 six inches in length. He wears dark bluish-gray 

 over the back and half-way down the sides, bright 



