Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 475 



quite numerous ; several were noted October 19 and 27 and at vari- 

 ous times thereafter until January 3, 1905, when we left the lake, 

 until August, 1906, from which month until November 14, many 

 were seen. 



On September 13, 1907, and at various times thereafter until 

 the middle of November, one or more were seen on any day when 

 we cared to look for them. One was seen September 27, 1908, On 

 September 8, 1913, one was observed for some time on the grounds 

 of the Chadwick Hotel, and again on the 17th. One seen in Wal- 

 ley's woods October 7, 1913, and on September 30, two were shot 

 in the same woods; one (a male) weighed 7 ounces, the other (a 

 female) 6] ounces. According to Mr. S. S. Chadwick they have 

 continued to increase up to the present time. Their favorite 

 haunts about Lake Maxinkuckee are the heavier woodlands at the 

 south end of the lake, Walley's woods, the timbered areas on the 

 east side and the groves north and east of the Academy grounds. 

 Only rarely have we seen it on Long Point, while on several occa- 

 sions we have observed it on the Tippecanoe River near Belong. 



While the Red Squirrel is a merry playful little animal, there 

 is little else to commend it to one's favor. While its principal food 

 consists of nuts and seeds of various kinds, it is very destructive 

 to birds' eggs and even young birds. It is also popularly thought 

 to drive the fox squirrel out of regions which it formerly occupied, 

 and there is probably a basis of fact in this belief. On account of 

 its small size it is not much hunted for food, although it makes a 

 delicious stew. 



26. GRAY SQUIRREL 



SCIURUS CAROLINENSIS LEUCOTIS (Gappcr) 



Formerly the Gray Squirrel was very abundant throughout In- 

 diana and southern Michigan. Forty to fifty years ago squirrel 

 hunting was an avocation in which nearly everj^ farmer and farm- 

 er's son, as well as many of those who dwelt in the villages and 

 towns engaged, and a poor marksman indeed was he who did not 

 return from a morning in the woods with the old muzzle-loader and 

 anywhere from 6 to 20 squirrels. To be regarded as a real expert 

 shot, however, it was necessary to be able to "bark" the squirrel, 

 that is, to kill it simply by shooting through the bark of the limb 

 on which the squirrel happened to be sitting without actually hit- 

 ting the squirrel. There were in every community a number of 

 such expert squirrel hunters. In southern Michigan a large pro- 

 portion of the Gray Squirrels were black! while in middle Indiana 

 a black squirrel was not often seen. In the ]\Iaxinkuckee region 



