70 



ORDEES OF MAMMALS— GNAWING ANIMALS 



they are devoid of spots or stripes. They are 

 very strong and active ehmbcrs, and keen of eye 

 and ear. 



The Gray Squirrel' is chosen as the lead- 

 ing type because it represents an average size, 

 the most frequent color, and is widely distributed. 

 This is the most prominent squirrel of southern 

 Canada, New England, and the eastern and 



^fr3^ 



SOUTHERN FOX SQUIRREL. 



southern states, .southward to Florida. It 

 ranges westward to Minnesota, Kansas and 

 Texas. Above its color is clean iron-gray, which 

 in southern specimens is mixed with dull yellow. 

 The lower surface is white, varying to yellowish 

 brown. Usually it nests in hollow trees, but 

 when crowded for room builds an open nest of 

 green leaves, or strippings of cedar bark made 

 into a round ball. The young are usually five 

 in number. 



' Sci-u'rus car-o-li-nen' sis . 



The Gray Squirrel frequently consents to live 

 in city parks, and becomes rjuite tame. It spends 

 much of its time upon the ground, searching for 

 nuts, roots, or anything which can be eaten. A 

 very large specimen measures 9^ -I- SJ inches. 

 Northern specimens are larger, and have longer 

 and finer fur than those of the southern states. 



The California Gray Squirrel '■' is the 

 Pacific coast counterpart of the eastern gray 

 squirrel, except that it is larger, and its colors 

 are brighter. Its color above is bluish gray and 

 black, and underneath it is pure white. It is 

 the largest squirrel in the far West, its maxi- 

 mum length being 12 -|- 10 inches. Its home 

 extends from the state of Washington to south- 

 ern California, and it is in every way a worthy 

 product of that fertile and healthful region. 



The Fox Squirrels. — We have now reached 

 two important species, to which the student 

 must give close attention in order to avoid con- 

 fusing them with each other, and with the gray 

 squirrel. The southern species will be presented 

 first, because it has two points by which it can 

 be recognized at a glance. 



The Southern Fox Squirrel^ is the only 

 Squirrel in America which has a pure white nose 

 and white ears. No matter how much the re- 

 mainder of the animal may vary in color from 

 the standard, in adult specimens the white nose 

 and ears are constant. Typical .specimens of this 

 species are colored as follows: top of head, black; 

 upper surface, blackish brown; lower surface, 

 lighter brown ; tail, dark brown, margined with 

 black. 



Variations occur, of every shade from the above 

 to jet black all over the body, head and tail; but 

 the ears and nose still are white. 



This animal measures 1.3 -I- 12 inches. Its 

 home is east of the AUeghanies from Virginia to 

 Florida, and westward along the Gulf Coast to 

 Louisiana. On the map its range looks like an 

 arm bent around the range of the next species. 



The Northern Fox Squirrel,^ or Cat 

 Squirrel, is smaller than the soutliern species 

 (12 -I- 11 inches), but very much like it in color, 

 save that its nose and cars never are white. The 

 standard color is rusty brown, washed with 

 black on the upper surface, and bright brown 

 underneath. 



''Sci-u'rus gri.'i'e-vs. '' Sci-ic'rus ni'yer. 



' S. lu-do-vi-ci-an' us . 



