1892
Feb. 8
(No 2)
Concord, Massachussets.
[margin]"Damsdale."[/margin]
Mass.
Concord . . . over the ice-coated branches without so
much as slipping in the least, as far as I could see.
Often all of them would be in the same tree at once.
Two of them were continually engaged in chasing the
third. Is it their mating season? They were exceedingly
noisy, making a great variety of sounds none of
which were familiar to me. One was a loud "hue"
uttered at regular intervals & very bird-like in
quality. Besides this they gave frequently a low
but penetrating squeaking cry which was not unlike
that of the Long-eared Owl. There were many other
sounds which I cannot describe but which were mainly
of a growling or whining character.
  From the bare chestnuts they made their way through
the trees tops into a grove of white pines. Here their
mad gambols ceased and they separated, one betaking
himself to the very topmost shoot of a tall pine
where he sat for a long time balancing on the slender
spray, which bent under his weight, like a bird.
I have rarely if ever had so good an opportunity
to watch Gray Squirrels before, at least in the North.
These were very tame allowing me to keep directly
beneath them although at every step my foot
broke through the crust with a loud crashing
sound. Pratt tells me that he has seen nine
Gray Squirrels in his [?] at one time. He
protects them on his farm.
  I spent much of the afternoon in studying
Fox tracks. These animals appear to be literally
swarming in this region. Their favorite hunting
grounds are evidently the open, tussocky meadows
[margin]Fox tracks[/margin]