SQUIRRELS, GOOD AND BAD 141 



summer evenings near Philadelphia, about 

 1840: 



' ' During the half -hour before sunset nature seemed 

 to be in a state of silence and repose. The birds had 

 retired to the shelter of the forest. The night-hawk 

 had already commenced its low evening flight, and 

 here and there the common red bat was on the wing ; 

 still for some time not a flying-squirrel made its 

 appearance. Suddenly, however, one emerged from 

 its hole and ran up to the top of a tree ; another soon 

 followed, and ere long dozens came forth and com- 

 menced their graceful flights from some upper branch 

 to a lower bough. . . . Crowds of these little 

 creatures joined in these sportive gambols; there 

 could not have been less than 200. Scores of them 

 would leave each tree at the same moment, and cross 

 each other, gliding like spirits through the air, seem- 

 ing to have no other object in view than to indulge a 

 playful propensity." 



Family life of the flying-squirrel. Not very 

 much is known of the winter life of the 

 ordinary or southern flying-squirrels, but they 

 seem to retire to their warm nests as soon as 

 cold weather comes, and to stay there until 

 spring. This would mean hibernation, or else 

 the storing of food in their holes; and that 

 the latter is their habit would seem indicated 



