COMMON FLYING-SQUIRREL. 219 



This is a harmless and very gentle species, becoming tolerably tame 

 in a few hours. After a few days it will take up its residence in some 

 crevice in the chamber, or under the eaves of the house, and it or its 

 progeny may be seen in the vicinity years afterwards. On one occasion 

 we took from a hollow tree four young with their dam ; she seemed quite 

 willing to remain with them, and was conve3'ed home in the crown of a 

 hat. We had no cage immediately at hand, and placed them in a drawer 

 in our library, leaving a narrow space open to enable them to breathe ; 

 next morning we ascertained that the parent had escaped through the 

 crevice, and as the window was open, we presumed that she had aban- 

 doned her young rather than be subject to confinement in such a narrow 

 and uncomfortable prison. We made efforts for several days to preserve 

 the young alive by feeding them on milk ; they appeared indifferent 

 about eating, and yet seemed to thrive and were in good order. A few 

 evenings afterwards we were surprised and delighted to see the mother 

 glide through the window and enter the still open drawer ; in a moment 

 she was nestled with her j'oung. She had not forsaken them, but visited 

 them nightly and preserved them alive by her attentions. We now 

 placed the young in a box near the window, which was left partly open. 

 In a short time she had gained more confidence and remained with them 

 during the whole day. They became very gentle, and they and their de- 

 scendants continued to reside on the premises for several years. 



During the first wnter they were confined to the room, boxes were plac- 

 ed in different parts of it containing Indian meal, acorns, nuts, &c. As soon 

 as it was dark they were in the habit of hurrjdng from one part of the 

 room to the other, and continued to be full of activity during the whole 

 night. We had in the room a wheel that had formerly been attached to 

 the cage of a Northern gray squirrel. To this they found an entrance, 

 and they often continued during half the night turning the wheel ; at times 

 we saw^ the whole group in it at once. This squirrel, we may conclude, 

 resorts to the wheel not from compulsion but for pleasure. 



In an interesting communication which we have received from Gideon 

 B. Smith, Esa., M.D., of Baltimore, he has given us the following details 

 of the singular habits of this species : — 



" After having arrived at the top of a tree from which they intend to 

 make their airy leap, they spring or jump, stretch their fore-legs forward 

 and outward and their hind-legs backward and outward, by this means 

 expanding the loose skin with which they are clothed, and which forms a 

 sort of gliding elevator. In this way they pass from tree to tree, or to 

 any other object, not by flying as their name imports, but by descending 

 from a high position by a gliding course ; as they reach the vicinity of 



