ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY BULLETIN. 



471 



BOX HOUSE FOR SQUIRRELS. 

 Showing method of attaching to tree trunk. 



squirrels attempt to pre-empt your boxes, and 

 drive out the grays, resolutely keep them in 

 check by shooting a few of the former. When 

 too numerous, the red squirrels easily become 

 an intolerable nuisance, chiefly because of their 

 industry in destroying the eggs and nestlings of 

 wild birds. 



If the trees of the grove or park are small, 

 very erect, and contain few large horizontal 

 limbs such as are beloved of the gray squirrel, 

 mitigate the situation by nailing up many little 

 brackets, of boards, on which the squirrels can 

 comfortably rest and eat. In a public park that 

 is infested by dogs running at large, it is well 

 to place a few brackets about seven feet from 

 the ground, in order that food may easily be 

 placed thereon, above the reach of the natural 

 squirrel-killers. 



Like every other animal, the squirrel thrives 

 best on a mixed diet. Corn is well liked, but 

 only the germ of each grain is eaten. Unless a 

 squirrel is very hungry, about two-thirds of each 

 grain is wasted. Peanuts are good, but they 

 induce habits of laziness. Small hickory nuts 

 and filberts are the best for gray squirrels, be- 

 cause they make the little animal work for his 

 meals, and wear down his incisor teeth. Acorns 

 should be supplied in the autumn, provided the 



grove produces no natural crop. Too much 

 easy food fosters an over-development of the 

 incisors, and sometimes leads to an abnormal 

 and distressing development of one pair. Teeth 

 that grow beyond reason, and distress the owner, 

 are easily cut back with a pair of flat-nosed cut- 

 ting pliers. In long periods of dry weather, 

 or drought in midsummer, every squirrel colony 

 needs a supply of drinking water. 



Gray squirrels are easily purchased of Dr. 

 Cecil French, of Washington, or Charles Payne, 

 of Wichita, Kansas, and of many other dealers 

 in live birds and mammals. Their cost price 

 varies from $9 per dozen to $25, according to 

 the distance they are to travel from seller to pur- 

 chaser. If the distance is great, the crates must 

 be made with much more care, and expense, than 

 if the journey is short. Of course the best time 

 to start a colony is in the spring, or summer; 

 but with proper boxes and good care, it is quite 

 safe to start in the autumn. 



I regret to say that there are even yet many 

 thousand Americans who regard the gray squir- 

 rel as "game," who kill it as such, and actually 

 eat it! There are only four states, I believe, in 

 which this species is protected by law. The 

 gray squirrel bill that Mr. G. O. Shields induced 

 the New York legislature to pass in 1907, was 

 killed by the passive veto of Governor Hughes. 

 In other words, the act lay upon his desk until 

 it died of an attack of limitation. 



W. T. H. 



THE FIFTEENTH ANNUAL MEETING. 



The fifteenth annual meeting of the New York 

 Zoological Society will be held in the South Room 

 of the Hotel Plaza, Fifth Avenue and 58th Street 

 entrance, Tuesday, January 12, 1909, at 8.30 P. M. 



Prof. Henry Fairfield Osborn, Vice-President of 

 the Society and Chairman of the Executive Commit- 

 tee, will lay before the Society the plans of the 

 Executive Committee for the protection of the Fauna 

 of North America, with its recommendation that this 

 work be undertaken on a large scale. 



Mr. Charles H. Townsend, Director of the New 

 York Aquarium will give a short illustrated address, 

 entitled, "Color Changes in Tropical Fishes, at the 

 New York Aquarium." 



Mr. Clinton G. Abbott will deliver an illustrated 

 address on "Expressions of Emotion in Birds, as 

 Portrayed by the Camera." 



Miss Mary C. Dickerson will give an illustrated 

 address on "The Winter Life of Birds and Small 

 Mammals." 



By courtesy of the New England Forest, Fish and 

 Game Association, a series of remarkable moving 

 pictures of leaping Atlantic Salmon will be shown 

 by Mr. Richard E. FoUett, Vice-President of the 

 Association. 



Refreshments will be served. 



