SECRETARY'S REPORT. 171 



animals engaged in this act. There are some hunters, however, that say 

 they have found two grubs in the scrotum of some squirrels, and they 

 conjecture that it is by these that the testicles are destroyed." . . . 



" September 1, 1856. Mr. Reid brings me a striped squirrel, with 

 two grubs in its scrotum, considerably torn and injured by the coarse 

 shot with which it Avas killed. These grubs are plainly the larva? of a 

 bot-fly, and not of a flesh-fly. They are lengthwise in the scrotum, one 

 forward of the other, producing a tumor nearly an inch and a half in 

 length. Each worm has a cavity for itself, separated from the other, with 

 an orifice towards its hind part larger than the head of a large pin. 

 Though the worms are probably immature, the testicles appear to be 

 entirely consumed, but the parts are so torn that I do not attempt to 

 trace out the exact lesion which they have produced." . . . 



" I am therefore led to beheve that these animals do attack each other 

 in the manner that has been stated ; not, however, for the purpose of 

 emasculating their comrades, as has been supposed, but for the purpose 

 of coming at and destroying these bot-grubs, the enemies of their race. 

 "We know the terror which some of these bot-flies give to the animals on 

 which they are parasites, and the efforts which animals make to escape 

 from them. The squirrel also is undoubtedly conscious that this insect is 

 his greatest foe ; he probably has sufficient intelligence to be aware that 

 from the grub which is this year tormenting one of his unfortunate 

 comrades, will come a descendant which next year may afflict him or 

 some of his progeny in the same frightful manner. Hence his avidity 

 to destroy the wretch, and thus avert the impending calamity. Future 

 observations must determine whether this conjecture is correct. "We 

 fervently hope that the sportsman or other person who next witnesses a 

 squirrel overpowered by its fellows in the manner stated, will kill that 

 squirrel, and let the world know whether he does or does not find in it 

 one of these grubs. If a grub is discovered, no doubt can remain as to 

 the object of the other squirrels in making the attack which they do." . . 



Description. — Head rather short and broad ; ears rounded, thickly 

 clothed within and without with hairs, which behind the ears form a tuft, 

 rising above the ear in a pencil ; whiskers long, black; muzzle hairy; 

 body robust ; limbs rather short ; feet slender, the posterior ones hairy 

 beneath, except a small pad on the sole and the tubercles beneath the 

 toes, the anterior ones more naked ; tail flat and narrow. Color ; above 

 and each side of the head, neck and body, and outside of the limbs, the 

 fur is cinereous at its base, terminated with black and reddish-yellow, 

 producing a grizzled appearance ; a broad stripe, extending along the 

 back from between the ears to the root of the tail is rufous ; beneath the 

 body, neck and chin, and between the limbs, white ; the tail above is of 



