SECRETARY'S REPORT. 167 



with soft grass and ferns ; in this the young are reared, and hve with 

 the female till they are old enough to shift for themselves. At the 

 approach of winter, some hollow in a tree is selected, sometimes the 

 abandoned nest of a woodpecker, in which a warm nest is built, composed 

 of grass and soft leaves ; this is the winter home of usually the whole 

 family. In early spring the young are driven off by the old ones, who 

 soon build the summer nest, in which to rear another ftimily. The young, 

 after being driven off, soon pair, and in their turn become heads of 

 families. 



The habits of this animal are very interesting. You may be walking 

 through the woods, shortly you hear what you at first think to be 

 the barking of a small dog ; on listening you discover your mistake ; 

 the abrupt notes qua-qua, with chattering gutteral additions, proceed 

 from the tall tree a few rods from you ; you cautiously steal on tip-toe 

 to the foot of the tree, but do not see the animal even after looking 

 carefully on every side. You know the little fellow is there, for he 

 could not possibly have got out of the tree unless you had seen him. 

 Now if you go close to the tree and step quickly to the other side you 

 will see him whisk himself suddenly to the opposite side from you, 

 where he is now closely hugging the tree and perfectly motionless ; your 

 interest has now become awakened, you are curious to see more of him ; 

 very well, you must retire a few rods and remain perfectly still. You 

 had better take a comfortable seat, for he will not move while you are 

 near the ti-ee. Presently, you see his head with its bright, lively eyes 

 slowly moving around to the side where you are ; this is the first recon- 

 noitering movement. If you remain perfectly still he will soon take 

 his position on a limb, where jerking his tail and flaunting it in conscious 

 security, he gives vent to his satisfaction at your removal, in a series of 

 chattering barks, which are answered, perhaps, by other squirrels that you 

 had no thought were in the neighborhood ; soon one of them with a 

 challenging bark or chatter, chases another and shortly three or four of 

 them are scampering about, running through the fallen leaves, and up 

 and down the trees in high sport ; presently one of them in escaping 

 from the others comes suddenly near you ; with a shrill whistle of 

 astonishment he scampers up the nearest tree and is soon as effectually 

 concealed as all the others were the instant he gave the alarm. You 

 may as well retire now, for you will see nothing more of these ; as 

 long as you remain near they will not budge a foot. 



The gray squirrel is some years very common, and others very 

 scarce ; the reason for the increase and diminution of its numbers is 

 uncertain. It may be owing to the plenty or scarcity of its food, or to 

 migrations, or perhaps partially to both. Thompson in his " Quadru- 

 peds of Vermont," says : " This sudden increase or diminution of their 



