THE FOX SQUIRREL. 



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"■ "^ ALLOCK states that the 

 migrations of Squirrels have 

 never been satisfactorily ex- 



^ plained. What instinct, 



he asks, brings together 

 such immense droves of these animals 

 from all parts of the country and causes 

 them to move with solid phalanx 

 to distant localities, overcoming all 

 opposing obstacles ? A few years since 

 there was witnessed a wonderful sight 

 by inhabitants of Pike County, Pa. 

 An immense army of Squirrels arrived 

 at the banks of the Delaware river late 

 one night, and commenced its passage 

 by swimming the next morning. The 

 whole population turned out, and boys 

 and men equipped with large grain 

 sacks and clubs killed them by 

 thousands. They kept coming in a 

 continuous stream throughout the 

 morning, and passed on to the woods 

 beyond. Nothing could deflect them 

 from their course, and they were 

 evidently bound for a fixed point. A 

 similar instance occurred some twenty- 

 five years ago, where a vast assemblage 

 crossed the Mississippi. While these 

 migrations are obviously caused by a 

 scarcity of food, it probably is not the 

 only motive which induces them to 

 imdertake long journeys. The southern 

 Fox Squirrel inhabits the Southern 

 States from North Carolina to Texas. 

 It is the largest and finest of our North 

 American Squirrels. Its color is 

 oftenest gray above and white below, 

 but it is also found of all shades of 

 fulvous, and sometimes a deep shining 

 black ; its ears and nose are always 

 white. The Western Fox Squirrel 

 occurs in the Mississippi valley ; its 



color is a rusty grey, and its ears and 

 nose are never white. 



Squirrels feed in the early morning, 

 and disappear from eight to nine 

 o'clock, remaining in their holes dur- 

 ing the mid-day hours. They appear 

 again in the late afternoon to feed. 

 During the early morning and late 

 evening the hunter secures his prey. 

 The little fellows are very shy, but one 

 may seat himself in full view and if 

 he remains without motion little 

 notice will be taken of him by the 

 Squirrels. The season for hunting 

 them is in fall and winter, although 

 a great many are taken in August 

 when young and tender. 



An important factor in the pursuic 

 of this animal is the small Cur-dog 

 trained for the purpose. He will run 

 ahead through bush and wood, tree a 

 Squirrel, and after barking sharply, 

 wait for the master to put in an 

 appearance. A Squirrel thus treed 

 will run up the trunk a short distance, 

 and curling himself down on a limb, 

 will watch his canine pursuer, unmind- 

 ful of the approach of the two-legged 

 animal bearing a gun. When quite 

 young and inexperienced, a good bag 

 can sometimes be made without a Dog. 

 They are very skillful in secreting 

 themselves from view, when treed by 

 the hunter, but the presence of the 

 Dog seems to utterly upset all calcula- 

 tions of concealment, for knowing the 

 inability of the Cur to do them harm 

 they will sit on a limb and not attempt 

 to hide. The cruel method of smoking 

 out, as practiced by the farmers' sons 

 in winter, when the Squirrels are 

 snuglv curled up in their nests will not 

 be described in this article. 



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