THE WESTERN PINE SQUIRREL. 



Many peculiar things have been writ- 

 ten about the red squirrel, or what is 

 called out west, the Pine Squirrel. These 

 frisky little animals are found in great 

 numbers throughout eastern Washing- 

 ton. The northern part of eastern Wash- 

 ington abounds in pine forests, and those 

 regions are a favorite abode for the squir- 

 rel. 



Next to the large silver fox squirrel 

 and the diminutive chipmunk, the Pine 

 Squirrel is the most handsome, graceful 

 and interesting member of that numerous 

 family found in the Northwest. He is 

 a bright, sprightly little fellow. During 

 the long, bright, sunny days of spring, 

 summer and autumn, the Pine Squirrel 

 makes his home out of doors. His life 

 seems to be one of perpetual sunshine 

 and pleasure. 



From early dawn to dusk the Pine 

 Squirrel is on the move. He is never 

 still for an instant. You see him scam- 

 pering; up and down the great trunk of a 

 pine, fir or tamarack. Next, he is out on 

 the tip end of a long, swaying branch. 

 Then he is on the ground. The next in- 

 stant he is running along the body of 

 some prostrate tree. 



He is full of curiosity. If you stand 

 and watch him, he will return the com- 

 pliment with interest. If you are per- 

 fectly still, the little chap will venture 

 close and eye you very sharply. He is 

 as quick as a flash, and if you chance 

 to move, away he darts, uttering his pe- 

 culiar, sharp, chattering call. 



Rarely will you see him without some- 

 thing in his mouth. He is very dainty, 

 however, as to what he eats. For all 

 that he lives in the trees and on the 

 ground, yet the Pine Squirrel has a per- 

 manent home. When chilling frosts visit 

 the earth and the snow softly descends, 

 the little fellow whisks aw^ay to his hole. 

 However, he does not hibernate, like the 

 bear. Not he. Often during the winter 

 the squirrel will come out and take a 

 view of the upper world. But this he 

 does only when the weather is fine. He 

 never shows himself when it is bitter 

 cold and when storms prevail. 



The Pine Squirrel leads no butterfly 

 existence. He has the prudent fore- 

 thought of the ant. He enjoys life and 

 sports in the sunshine, but all the while 

 he is carefully storing away a good sup- 

 ply of food to tide him over the winter. 

 His home is generally well selected and 

 his bed is soft and warm. He knows 

 what comfort means. However, this 

 Squirrel has some queer ways. In some 

 parts of northeastern Washington there 

 are a great many mushrooms and toad- 

 stools. The Pine Squirrel will spend 

 days in gathering these peculiar growths 

 and carrying them away, but not to his- 

 hole. He will carry some of them high 

 up into trees and place them in the forks 

 of branches, where the wind cannot shake.- 

 them out. 



Hundreds and thousands of these furr-- 

 gi will be placed in the forks of tall sap- 

 lings, bushes, shrubs and even weeds. 

 Some of the toadstools are larger than 

 the squirrel himself, but, like the ant, 

 he will keep tugging away, and finally 

 the little fellow will land them where he 

 wishes to have them placed. 



So far as known, the Squirrel never 

 eats the fungi. He does not take any 

 to his hole, and after placing the toad- 

 stools in the brush he does not disturb 

 them again. The fungi dries away and 

 may be seen for several years. What in- 

 stinct prompts the little creature to da 

 this, is a mystery. I have never yet found 

 any naturalist, trapper, hunter or fron- 

 tiersman who could give a satisfactory 

 explanation of the matter. 



The wood rat and magpie will steal 

 every imaginable article about a house, 

 carry it away and secrete it. Most of 

 these articles can not be eaten and are 

 of no possible use to the rat or bird. Per- 

 haps the Pine Squirrel is prompted by a 

 similar instinct. 



The Western Pine Squirrel is a per- 

 fectly harmless and peaceable animal. 

 He is not known to attack any other ani- 

 mal except the weasel, and then only in 

 self-defense. J. Mayne Baltimore. 



157 



