270 NORTHERN GRAY SQUIRREL. 



by all the species of this genus ; among these it seems to prefer the shell- 

 bark, {Carya alba,) and several species of hickory nuts, to any other kind of 

 food. Even when the nuts are so green as to afford scarcely any nourish- 

 ment, it may be seen gnawing off the thick pericarp or outer shell 

 which drops in small particles to the ground like rain, and then with its 

 lower incisors it makes a small linear opening in the thinnest part of the 

 shell immediately over the kernel. When this part has been extracted, 

 it proceeds to another, till in an incredibly short space of time, the nut 

 is cut longitudinally on its four sides, and the whole kernel picked out, 

 leaving the dividing portions of the hard shell untouched. 



At the season of the year when it feeds on unripe nuts, its paws and 

 legs are tinged by the juices of the shells, which stain them an ochrey-red 

 colour, that wears off, however, towards spring. 



Were this species to confine its depredations to the fruit of the hickory, 

 chesnut, beech, oak and maple, it would be less obnoxious to the far- 

 mer ; but unfortunately for the peace of both, it is fond of the green 

 Indian-corn and young wheat, to which the rightful owner imagines him- 

 self to have a prior claim. A war of extermination consequently ensues, 

 and various inducements have been held out at different times to tempt 

 the gunner to destroy it. In Pennsylvania an ancient law existed offer- 

 ing three pence a head for every squirrel destroyed, and in one year (1749) 

 the sum of eight thousand pounds was paid out of the treasury in pre- 

 miums for the destruction of these depredators. This was equal to 

 640,000 individuals killed. In several of the Northern and Western States 

 the inhabitants, on an appointed day, are in the habit of turning out on 

 what is called a squirrel hunt. They arrange themselves under opposite 

 leaders, each party being stimulated by the ambition of killing the 

 greatest number, and fastening on the other the expense of a plentiful 

 supper. The hunters range the forest in every direction, and the ac- 

 counts given us of the number of squirrels brought together at the 

 evening rendezvous are almost incredible. 



In addition to the usual enemies of this species in the Northern States, 

 such as the weasel, fox, lynx, &c., the red-tailed hawk seems to regard it 

 as his natural and lawful prey. It is amusing to see the skill and dex- 

 terity exercised by the hawk in the attack, and by the squirrel in at- 

 tempting to escape. When the hawk is unaccompanied by his mate, he 

 finds it no easy matter to secure the little animal ; unless the latter be 

 pounced upon whilst upon the ground, he is enabled by dodging and 

 twisting round a branch to evade the attacks of the hawk for an hour 

 or more, and frequently worries him into a reluctant retreat. 



But the red-tails learn by experience that they are most certain of this 



