CHIPPING SQUIRREL. 6t 



reddish-gray ; whole under surface white, with no line of demarcation 

 between the colours of the back and belly. Tail, brown at its root, after- 

 wards grayish-black, the hair being clouded and in some places banded 

 \^'ith black ; underneath, reddish-brown, with a border of black, edged 

 with light gray. 



There are some varieties observable among specimens procured in dif- 

 ferent States of the Union. We have noted it, like the Virginian deer, 

 becoming smaller in size as it was found farther to the South. In Maine 

 and New Hampshire, it is larger than in the mountains of Carolina and 

 Louisiana, and the tints of those seen at the North were lighter than the 

 colouring of the Southern specimens we have examined. We possess an 

 albino, sent to us alive, snow-white, with red eyes ; and also another spe- 

 cimen jet-black. We have, however, found no intermediate varieties, 

 and in general we may remark that the species of this genus are not as 

 prone to variations in colour as those of the true Squirrels. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Length of head and body - 

 " head" 



" tail (vertebrsE) 



" tail, including fur 



Height of ear - - - 

 Breadth of ear - - - 



ches. 



Lines. 



6 



3 



1 



6 



3 



7 



4 



7 







4 







3i 



HABITS. 



The Chipping Squirrel, as this little animal is usually called, or Ground 

 Squirrel, as it is named almost as frequently, is probably, with the excep- 

 tion of the common flying squirrel, {Pteromys volucella.) one of the most 

 interesting of our small quadrupeds. It is found in most parts of the 

 United States, and being beautifully marked in its colouring, is known to 

 every body. From its lively and busy habits, one might consider it 

 among the quadrupeds as occupying the place of the wren among the fea- 

 thered tribes. Like the latter, the Ground Squirrel, full of vivacity, plays 

 with the utmost grace and agility among the broken rocks or uprooted 

 stiunps of trees about the farm or wood pasture ; its clucking, resembles 

 the chip, chip, chip, of a young chicken, and although not musical, like 

 the song of the little winter wren, excites agreeable thoughts as it comes 

 on the air. We fancy we see one of these sprightly Chipping Squirrels, 

 as he runs before us vnth the speed of a bird, skimming along a log or 



