112 



The food of the gray squirrel is like that of most of the family. They 

 are very fond of blackhaw berries and mulberries. Four to six young 

 are brought forth at a birth ; two and three litters are produced annu- 

 ally, the first usually in March. They are somewhat social, several 

 sometimes feed together, and many will take up with the same tree 

 in winter. 



Various species of Squirrels are infested with the larval forms of a 

 species of oestrvs. These grubs are found growing in the skin, in the ab- 

 cesses formed by the irritation of the growing grub. They are most fre- 

 quent about the shoulders and buttocks, where the Squirrel cannot destroy 

 them with its teeth. The writer has observed them in the buttocks of 

 about eve:y fifth Ground Squirrel, collected in the vicinity of Menomonee, 

 Wisconsin. " That a fly really emasculates the Striped Squirrel (Tamias 

 strixdus), seems certain from Dr. Fitch's observations. The Doctor reared 

 the fly from the grubs found in the testes, which were completely eaten 

 out." Professor A. R. Grote, on Squirrels and Emasculation, in " Forest 

 and Stream, March 21, 1878, says : " There is a belief prevalent among 

 hunters that the Red Squirrel habitually csstrates the Black and Gray, 

 also, that the old Gray Squirrel emasculates the young of the same spe- 

 cies. This popular but fallacious opinion, is based, doubtless, in part, 

 on errors in examination of supposably emasculated individuals, mainly in 

 overlooking the testicles, which are small, except in the breeding season, 

 as well as destroyed by the undoubted work of the larvae of oestrus, and 

 accidental castration in the combats of pugnacious individuals." 



SoiuEus NIGER Linn. 



Var. ludovicianua Allen. 



Western Pox Squibrbl. 



1806. Sciurus ludmicianus, Custis, Barton's Med. and Phys. Journ., ii, 

 1806, 43.— Harlan, Fn. Am., 1825, 186.— H. Smith, Griff. Cuv. 

 An. King., v, 1827, 254.— Lesson, Man., 1827, 234.— Fischer, Syn. 

 Mam., 1829, 351.— Baird, Mam. N. Am., 1857, 251.— Hayden, 

 Trans. Am. Phil. Soc. Phila., xii, 1863, 144.— Allen, Proc. Bost. 

 Soc. Nat. Hist., xiii, 1869, 188. 



1822. Sciurus rufiventer, "Geoffroy, Mus. Par. ;" Nouv. Diet. d'Hist. Nat., 



X, 103.— Desmarest, Mam., ii, 1822, 332 —Harlan, Faun. Amer., 

 1825, 176 (New Orleans).— Lesson, Man. Mam., 1827, 233.— 

 Fischer, Synop. Mam., 1829, 351.— Schinz, Syn. Mam., ii, 1845, 

 6 (specimen from Missouri). — Maximilian, Weigm. Arch. f. 

 Naturg., 1861, 70. 



1823. Sciurus macroura, Say, Long's Exped. R. Mts.,, i, 1823, 116 (Kansas). 



