APPENDIX. 319 



the great chain, feeding upon the seeds contained in tlie cones. 

 These seeds are large and white, and contain a good deal of 

 nutriment. The Indians eat a great quantity of them, and esteem 

 them good. The note of this squirrel is a loud jarring chatter, 

 very different from the voice of the Sciuriis hudsonicus. It is not at 

 all shy, frequently coming down to the foot of the tree to recon- 

 noitre the passenger, and scolding at him vociferously. It is, I think, 

 a scarce species.' 



The difference between these two species can be detected at a 

 glance by comparing the specimens. The present, in addition to 

 its being about a fourth smaller, the size of the Tamias lysteri, 

 has less of the reddish-brown on the upper surface, and may be 

 always disinguished from the other by the blackness of its tail at 

 the extremity. 



The body of this most diminutive of all the known species of 

 genuine squirrel in North America, is short, and does not present 

 that appearance of lightness and agility which distinguishes the 

 Sciurus hudsonicus. Head large, less elongated, and nose 

 a little blunter than Sciurus hudsonicus ; ears short ; feet of 

 moderate size, the third toe on the fore foot but slightly longer than 

 the second. The claws are compressed, hooked and acute ; tail 

 shorter than the body ; the thumb nail is bi'oad, flat and blunt. 



The fur on the back is dark plumbeous from the roots, tipped 

 with rusty brown and black, giving it a rusty gray appearance. 

 It is less rufous than the Sciurus hudsonicus, and lighter colored 

 than the S. Douglassii. The feet, on their upper surface, are 

 rufous ; on the shoulders, forehead, ears, and along the thighs, 

 there is a slight tinge of the same color. The whiskers, which 

 are a little longer than the head, are black, the teeth yellowish- 

 white. The whole of the under surface, as well as a line around 

 the eyes, and a small patch above the nostrils, smoke gray. The 

 tail for about one-half its length, presents on the upper surface a dark 

 rufous appearance ; many of the hairs being nearly black, pointed 

 with light rufous. At the extremity of the tail, for about one inch 

 in length, the hairs are black, a few of them slightly tipped with 

 rufous. The hind feet, from the heels to the palms, are thickly 

 clothed with short adpressed light colored hairs ; the palms are 

 naked. Thesides are marked by a line of black commencing at the 



