268 NORTHERN GRAY SQUIRREL. 



weather of spring and summer it prepares itself a nest on a tree, but not 

 often at its summit. When constructing this summer-house it does not 

 descend to the earth in search of materials, finding them ready at hand 

 on the tree it intends to make its temporary residence. It first breaks ofl" 

 some dry sticks, if they can be procured ; if. however, such materials are 

 not within reach, it gnaws off green branches as large as a man's thumb, 

 and lays them in a fork of the stem, or of some large branch. It then 

 proceeds to the extremities of the branches, and breaks oS" twigs and 

 bunches of leaves, with which a compact nest is constructed, which, on 

 the inner side is sometimes lined with moss found on the bark of the tree. 

 In the preparation of this nest both male and female are usually en- 

 gaged for an hour in the morning during several successive days ; and 

 the noise they make in cutting the branches and dragging them with 

 their leaves to the nest can be heard at a great distance. In winter they 

 reside altogether in holes in trees, where their young in most instances 

 are brought forth. 



Although a family, to the number of five or six, probably the offspring 

 of a single pair the preceding season, may occupy the same nest during 

 winter, they all pair off in spring, when each couple occupies a separate 

 nest, in order to engage in the duties of reproduction. The young, in 

 number from four to six, are brought forth in May or June ; they in- 

 crease in size rapidly, and are sufficiently grown in a few weeks to leave 

 the nest ; at this time they may be seen clinging around the tree which 

 contains their domicile ; as soon as alarmed they run into the hole, but 

 one of them usually returns to the entrance of it, and protruding his head 

 out of the hollow, watches the movements of the intruder. In this stage 

 of their growth they are easily captured by stopping up the entrance of 

 the nest, and making an opening beneath ; they can then be taken out 

 by the hand protected by a glove. They soon become tolerably gentle, 

 and are frequently kept in cages, with a ^vheel attached, which revolves 

 as they bound forward, in which as if on a treadmill they exercise 

 themselves for hours together. 



Sometimes two are placed within a wheel, when they soon learn to 

 accommodate themselves to it, and move together with great regularity. 

 Notwithstanding the fact that they become very gentle in confinement, 

 no instance has come to our knowledge of their having produced young 

 while in a state of domestication, although in a suitable cage such a 

 result would in all probabilitj' be attained. This species is a troublesome 

 pet ; it is sometimes inclined to close its teeth on the fingers of the in- 

 truder on its cage, and does not always spare even its feeder. When 

 permitted to have the freedom of the house, it soon excites the displea- 



