110 



Distribution. — The present species ranges eastward along the Atlantic 

 coast to New Brunswick, thence westward over the southern half ot 

 Maine, most of the St. Lawrence Valley, southern portions of Canada, 

 Michigan, Wisconsin, Iowa, and up the Missouri at least to the mouth of 

 the Platte, and south to the Gulf. It ranges west to the eastern border 

 of the plains, from Nebraska to Texas, and apparently far into Mexico. 

 Its northern limit coincides nearly with that of the AUeghanian fauna, 

 that is to the isotherm of 44° F. Var. leucotis ranges southward over 

 both the AUeghanian and Carolinian faunae, or about to the isotherm of 

 66° F., where the two sub-species blend, carolinensis extending the range 

 of the species southward to the Gulf coast, into Mexico, and perhaps 

 even to Guatemala. 



Besides the above, Mr. Allen recognizes a third variety, which may 

 prove a distinct species. Var. yucatanensis is founded on four specimens 

 from Merida, Yucatan ; more specimens are requisite to fix its relations 

 to the series. 



Habits. — This is the most abundant of American squirrels; it has a 

 wide range, is extremely prolific, and in certain localities exists in 

 almost incredible abundance. Dr. Hoy, of Racine, Wisconsin, relates 

 that be has known a hunter in northern Ohio to kill 160 in a day. The 

 species apparently increases in numbers in certain districts after their 

 settlement. Kennicott speaks of the prevalent report that persons have 

 been compelled to watch the fields during their migrations, probably, to 

 prevent destruction of the crops. Dr. S. P. Hildreth, in the "Pioneer His- 

 tory of the Ohio Valley," 1848, quotes from manuscript of Col. James 

 Barker, of the gray squirrel " coming in millions from the north to the 

 south, destroying whole fields of corn in a few days." 



Mr. Frank W. Langdon, Madlsonville, Ohio, to whom the writer is 

 principally indebted for notes on Ohio mammals, drawn from the early 

 history of the Ohio country, writes that the gray squirrel is common a 

 hundred miles north of Cincinnati, but is rather vaguely reported in 

 that locality. 



The remarkable migrations performed at times by this species consti- 

 tute a most interesting feature in their history. They congregate in the 

 autumn in immense numbers, and move off in the same general direc- 

 tion, not turning aside for the largest streams, though usually averse to 

 water. Dr. John A. Kennicott relates that during one of these migra- 

 tions innumerable squirrels swam across the Niagara near Bufialo, New 

 York, landing so exhausted as to be easily taken by hand or knocked 

 down with sticks. Mr. Kennicott has the following notes in regard to 

 these migrations : 



