114 



Known from var. cinerem by its coloration ; the nose and ears in dnereus 

 are usually coricolor with dorsal surface; the ears are short, scarcely 

 longer than the fur. Var. dnereus is found from Virginia northward to 

 southern New York and New England, and possibly may lap over into 

 eastern Ohio. 



Geographical DistribiUion and Variation. — The Western Fox Squirrel 

 occupies the whole region drained by the Mississippi and its tributaries 

 and the Missouri River north to southern Dakota, extending westward 

 along the wooded streams to the plains. The geographical varia- 

 tions attending its wide range of climatic conditions consist in color of 

 an increasing pallor northward and toward the dryer portions of the 

 plains, and in the country adjacent to the Mississippi River is observed a 

 strongly marked increase in color southward. The diminution in size 

 from the north southward is not marked in this variety. 



The color variations of this form have led to eight or ten different 

 specific names ; the animal was first described, however, by Custis, in 

 1806, under the name ludovicianus. 



The Fox Squirrel takes more naturally to groves of oak trees or edges 

 of timber belts than to -deep woods ; in these places he has ready access 

 to corn fields, which they often rob from the time of roasting-ears until 

 the corn is harvested. ^ 



Besides the nuts of trees and seeds of plants, it eats the buds of the 

 basswood, elm, and maple. In autumn they eat the fruit of the thorn- 

 apple. They have been seen to gnaw the bark from dead trees to pro- 

 cure beetles and their larvas, and, like other Squirrels, to girdle trees in 

 spring to taste the flowing sap. Unlike the Red Squirrel, the Fox and 

 Gray Squirrels do not store up hoards of nuts for winter use in hollow 

 trees, but bury them singly under the leaves in autumn. 



Dr. Hoy is of the opinion that thej are guided to these solitary caches 

 by the sense of smell, unless the snow is very deep. They do not fail, 

 but scratch away the leaves and snow from the right place and retire to 

 a log or low tree to eat the morsel found. When the snow is deep they 

 feed on buds and such nuts and berries as are left on the trees. 



Unlike the Gray Squirrel, this species is not gregarious ; more than 

 two admits are rarely found together. Usually this species is not polyga- 

 mous; it is less prolific than the migratory species, bringing forth 

 usually three young at a birth, and probably producing two litters each 

 season. 



Like those of most animals in this order, the young are misshapen, 

 unsymmetrical little creatures, with large heads and closed eyes. They 

 are brought forth in a hole, the nests of twigs and leaves, of which this 



