1 66 The Flying Squirrel 



the greater part of the waking hours of the flying 

 squirrels, and old and young enjoy it alike. Even 

 during the "business hours," when the storehouses 

 must be filled with nuts for winter use, the same 

 rollicking spirit holds sway over this squirrel band. 



The flying squirrels live in communities, but during 

 the winter months a half dozen or more occupy the 

 same cavity in a hollow tree. Even in the storing of 

 food for winter, several may unite in collecting a 

 general supply. The storehouse may be in the same 

 cavity as the living quarters, or in a separate one in 

 the same tree, while it is occasionally in a tree some 

 little distance away. The food stored consists of nuts 

 of various kinds; while in their season buds and 

 fruits are much enjoyed. 



Wood choppers very often find the storehouses of the 

 flying squirrels. I saw a man take six quarts of beech- 

 nuts from a cavity in a large maple tree in the month 

 of January, and from the same tree we counted eight 

 escaping flying squirrels. In this instance the squirrels 

 and beechnuts were found in separate cavities. 



We captured two of the squirrels, a male and a 

 female, and- the man took them home for pets. In a 

 few days they were perfectly tame, and at night- 

 fall they would come from their cage, and play about 

 the house, apparently as contented as though they 



