515 



THE CAY 10 RAT. 



There resides iu some of our mouutainous sectious a 

 large liairj-tailed and long whiskered animal called 

 the Allegheny Cave Rat {Neotoma maf/lsfer) Of the 

 habits of this mammal I know nothing from personal 

 observation. I have, however, seen the species in 

 Juniata, llnntiiigdon, Clinton ajid Centre counties. 

 Woodsmen say this rat will catch young chickens and 

 suck eggs; that it is fond of wild birds as well as their 

 eggs, and like other rats will eat grains or other vege- 

 table materials. 



THE FLYING SQUIRREL. 



This little animal is common and occurs generally 

 throughout Pennsylvania. It usually lives in the 

 woods, but sometimes will take up its abode in lofts 

 of farm houses or hide under a roof, back of plaster, 

 and from some convenient opening come out to steal 

 chestnuts, shellbarks, hazle nuts, etc., which the school 

 children have stored away to eat during the long, cold 

 winter nights. 



SKUNKS. 



In the common nomenclature of naturalists there 

 are two forms of Skunks in Pennsylvania. They are 

 designated by the names Canadian Skunk and Caro- 

 linian Skunk. Tliese animals ])rowl about in the 

 night to do good, but sometimes they find hens' nests, 

 and the riper the eggs are, the better, it is said, 

 they are to the palate of the Skunk. In their noc- 

 turnal wanderings they frequently get into trouble in 

 various ways, and often cause great inconvenience to 

 persons who have business or love matters w InVh com- 



