272 NATURE-STUDY REVIEW [14:7— Oct., 1918 



squirrel migrations so common in the United States during the 

 time of early settlers. Guided by some impulse, great hordes 

 of squirrels congregated and marched across the country. The 

 climatic conditions and food supply along the way lengthened 

 or shortened these migrations. As the squirrels pushed blindly 

 forward thousands perished by the way, and the survivors gradu- 

 ally spread over a great territory, until lost in the vast wilderness. 

 Years might elapse before another great migration would occur 

 over the same route, but there were the lesser migrations, caused 

 by the failure of nuts in certain sections. So destructive were 

 . these migrations that we find on the statute books of many states 

 rewards offered for each gray squirrel killed. The gray squirrel 

 does not lay up such quantities of winter stores as does the chip- 

 munk because he does not hibernate. However, like most of 

 our other squirrels he has the habit of digging holes and hiding a 

 nut here and there. It is probably his acute sense of smell more 

 than memory that guides him to find these store places, hidden 

 under the snow. 



Dr. C. Hart Merriman says that gray squirrels are very fond 

 of music, and that it affects them in a pleasant manner. They 

 seem almost spellbound, and will sit bolt upright, inclining 

 the head to one side, listening, meanwhile letting the forepaws 

 hang listlessly over the breast, and turning the head around in a 

 bewildered sort of way, and assuming a most idiotic expression. 



The gray squirrel is rather sensitive to weather conditions 

 and regulates his movements a good deal in accordance to the 

 season. In summer he comes out early in the morning, spending 

 the greater part of the day in concealment, to appear again for 

 a few hours late in the afternoon. As the weather grows cooler 

 in the autumn, he rises later in the morning and curtails his 

 midday nap, so that after the first of November or thereabouts, 

 the best time to find him is between ten o'clock and noon. 



Gray squirrels are found in the hard woods, preferably hickories. 

 Neither the hickories, chestnuts or beeches can be depended on 

 to bear every year so that the gray squirrel population often 

 drifts from one locality to another, assembling wherever food 

 is most abundant and collecting all the nuts available, storing 

 them in hollow trees and stumps. 



When the nuts are finally all gathered, the gray squirrel spends 

 most of his time indoors, coming out to enjoy the sunshine or to 



