306 ■ NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Principal records. De Kay: "This well known little animal is found 

 in every forest abounding in nuts of various kinds" ('42, p. 58). Mer- 

 riam : This record has been quoted in sufficient detail. Fisher : " Period- 

 ically common. Some years hundreds are killed during the open season, 

 while on the following year not over a dozen will be secured" (J96, p. 

 197). Mearns : "The gray squirrel is rare in this region [the Catskills] ; 

 but one individual was seen during our stay " ('98b, p. 353). 



I have found the gray squirrel rare at Peterboro, Madison co. 



Remarks. In his revision of the squirrels of eastern North America 

 Mr Outram Bangs says that the southeastern gray squirrel, Sciurus caro- 

 linensis carolinensis ranges " north about to the lower Hudson valley." 

 There is, however, no positive evidence as yet that this form actually 

 occurs in New York. 



Sciurus ludovicianus vicinus Bangs Northeastern fox squirrel 



1842 Sciurus vulpinus De Kay, Zoology of New York, Mammalia, p. 59. 

 1884 Sciurus niger cinereus Merriam, Linn. soc. New York. Trans. 2: 134. 

 1896 Sciurus niger cinereus Fisher, The Observer. May 1896. 7:197. 

 1896 Sciurus ludovicianus vicinus Bangs, Biolog. soc. Washington. 

 Proc. 28 Dec. 1896, 10 : 150. 



Type locality. White Sulphur springs, West Virginia. 



Faunal position. The northeastern fox squirrel is an inhabitant of the 

 upper austral zone, but occasionaly it wanders into the transition zone. 



Habitat. Extensive forests. 



Distribution in New York. In New York the occurrence of the fox 

 squirrel can now be regarded as little more than accidental Formerly 

 however it was found in considerable numbers. 



Principal records. De Kay : " Its habits and geographic distribution 

 are the same as in the preceding [S. leucotis]" ('42, p. 60). Merriam : 

 " The fox squirrel can not at present be regarded as other than a rare or 

 accidental straggler in the Adirondack region. So far as I am aware the 

 only specimen taken here of late was killed by Oliver B. Lockhardt at 

 Lake George, Warren co. in 1872 or 1873" ('84d, p. 134). Fisher: 

 " Mr Gilbert C. Merritt once informed me that he had killed several fox 

 squirrel in the Chappaqua hills about the year 1850. Of late none have 

 been heard of even in that wild region" ('96, p. ^7). 



Mr Savage writes that there is an old mounted specimen of this animal 

 in the museum of the Buffalo Society of natural science, labeled ' Erie 

 county.' He does not consider the record as positive however, since all 

 definite history of the specimen is lacking. 



Mr Helme informs me that the fox squirrel does not occur on Long 

 Island. 



