476 Lake Maxinkuckee, Physical and Biological Survey 



this squirrel is now a very rare species. Mr. Chadwick says he 

 knows of only two or three having been killed near the lake in the 

 last six or seven years. The only one ever seen by us in that 

 region was observed May 9, 1901. 



27. FOX SQUIRREL 



SCIURUS NIGER RUFIVENTER (Geoffroy) 



Although formerly quite common in central and northern In- 

 diana, the Fox Squirrel was never so abundant as was the Gray 

 Squirrel when the country was new. But as the forests were 

 cleared away, farms opened up, and open woodlands and pasture 

 lots became more and more common features of the country, the 

 Gray Squirrel became practically extinct while the Fox Squirrel 

 was more nearly able to hold its own, albeit, even this species is 

 far from being as abundcint as formerly. In the region with which 

 the present paper deals the Fox Squirrel was very rare until re- 

 cently. None was seen or heard of in 1899. In 1900 one was 

 seen in Walley's woods on September 28, and one near Belong the 

 next day. The first of these was killed by some one in October. 

 Several were killed by a local hunter in the fall of 1902. In 1904, 

 Fox Squirrels were occasionally seen. Two were killed November 

 29 ; one was seen in the Assembly grounds ; on December 15 a 

 large oak on Long Point was cut down and was found to contain 

 two Fox Squirrels, probably young of the year, but fully grown. 

 In the fall of 1905 three or four were seen on Long Point. In 



1906 two were killed south of the lake September 12 ; two days 

 later one was seen in Farrar's woods, and on September 17 

 another was noted on the east side of the lake. In the autumn of 



1907 one or more were observed in Green's woods. Doubtless it 

 is no less frequent in open woods east of the lake. 



The Fox Squirrel prefers the open woods and is rarely seen in 

 heavy, dense forests. Wherever there are large old trees with 

 hollow limbs or trunks on the borders of cornfields, there these 

 squirrels are apt to take up their homes if there be any in the 

 neighborhood. Unless disturbed the same pair will occupy the 

 same tree for several years, probably until they die or are killed. 



These squirrels feed upon all sorts of nuts and are very de- 

 structive to the farmer's corn. In January, 1908, Mr. A. M. Ever- 

 mann observed Fox Squirrels near Burlington (56 miles south of 

 Maxinkuckee) feeding upon the seeds of the cocklebur, Xanthiiun 

 strumarium. The squirrels would strip the burs from the plants 

 and carry them to a nearby log on which they would sit on their 



