91 



Dimensions. in. lin. 



Height of ear posteriorly 6 



J^ihn and middle fore-claw 1 6 



Heel and middle hind-claw 2 9 



Length of fur on the back 7 



•• This has been to me a rare species. It is said to be common 

 in the oak and hickory woods of Pennsylvania, and I have occa- 

 sionally met with it near Easton and York. I also observed one 

 in the hands of a gunner near Fredericksburg, Virginia. In the 

 northern part of New York it is exceedingly rare, as I only saw two 

 pair during fifteen years of close observation. In the lower part of 

 that state, however, it appears to be more common, as I recently re- 

 ceived several specimens procured in the county of Orange. 



•' This squirrel has many habits in common with other species, 

 residing in the hollows of trees, building in summer its nest of 

 leaves in some convenient crutch, and subsisting on the same va- 

 riety of food. It is, however, the most inactive of all our known 

 species. It mounts a tree, not with the lightness and agility of the 

 Northern Gray Squirrel, but with the slowness and apparent reluc- 

 tance of the little Striped Squirrel (Tamias Lysteri). After ascend- 

 ing, it does not mount to the top, as is the case with other species, 

 but clings to the body of the tree on the side opposite to you, or 

 tries to conceal itself behind the first convenient limb. I have never 

 observed it escaping from branch to branch. When it is induced in 

 search of food to proceed to the extremity of a limb, it moves cau- 

 tiously and heavily, and returns the same way. On the ground it 

 runs clumsily and makes slower progress than the Gray Squirrel. 

 It is usually fat, especially in autumn, and the flesh is said to be 

 preferable to that of any other of our species. 



" The Cat Squirrel does not appear to be migratory in its habits. 

 The same pair, if undisturbed, may be found taking up their resi- 

 sidence in a particular vicinity for a number of years in succession, 

 and the sexes seem mated for life." 



Sciurus leitcotis. Northern Gray Squirrel. 



Gray Squirrel. Penn. Arct. Zool. vol. i. p. 135. Hist. Quad. 

 No. 272. 



Sci. CnroUnensis. Godman non Gmel. 



Sci. leucotis. Gapper, Zoological Journal, vol. v. j). 206, pub- 

 lished in 1830. 



Larger than the Carolina Gray Squirrel ; tail much longer than 

 the body ; smaller than the Cat Squirrel ; subject to many varieties 

 of colour. 



Dental formula, incis. g , ^ol. ^^, 22. 



Dr. Bachman states, that this species, which is very common in 

 the northern and middle states, has hitherto been improperly con- 

 founded with the Carolina Gray Squirrel. It appears tfj have the 

 additional anterior molar es permanent, in this particular agreeing 



