238 THE MOUNTAINS OF CALIFOKNIA 



distributed up through the Douglas domains, sel 

 dom venturing higher than six or seven thousand 

 feet above the level of the sea. The gray sciurus 

 ranges but little higher than this. The little 

 striped tamias alone is associated with him every 

 where. In the lower and middle zones, where they 

 all meet, they are tolerably harmonious a happy 

 family, though very amusing skirmishes may oc 

 casionally be witnessed. Wherever the ancient gla 

 ciers have spread forest soil there you find our wee 

 hero, most abundant where depth of soil and genial 

 climate have given rise to a corresponding luxuri 

 ance in the trees, but following every kind of 

 growth up the curving moraines to the highest 

 glacial fountains. 



Though I cannot of course expect all my readers 

 to sympathize fully in my admiration of this little 

 animal, few, I hope, will think this sketch of his life 

 too long. I cannot begin to tell here how much he 

 has cheered my lonely wanderings during all the 

 years I have been pursuing my studies in these glo 

 rious wilds ; or how much unmistakable humanity I 

 have found in him. Take this for example : One 

 calm, creamy Indian summer morning, when the 

 nuts were ripe, I was camped in the upper pine- 

 woods of the south fork of the San Joaquin, where 

 the squirrels seemed to be about as plentiful as the 

 ripe burs. They were taking an early breakfast 

 before going to their regular harvest-work. While 

 I was busy with my own breakfast I heard the 

 thudding fall of two or three heavy cones from a 

 Yellow Pine near me. I stole noiselessly forward 

 within about twenty feet of the base of it to ob- 



