Lake Umbagog, Maine.
1895
Sept. 29
  Cloudy with violent S.E. wind and heavy rain during last night
& this morning.
  Late this afternoon a Winter Wren which had passed the day in
or near our camp wood pile sang several times in an undertone but
giving the full song in a finished manner.
[margin]Winter Wren
sings.[/margin]
  For several nights past a Skunk has visited the camp and
dug down into a hole where our refuse is placed. This evening
at about 8 o'clock Charley called in saying that he had just seen
him thus engaged. I got a glympse at him as he was scuttling
off.
[margin]Skunk visits
the camp[margin]
  An hour later I took a position near the refuse hole having first
placed a lantern so that it cast its light fairly over the spot.
I waited here for half an hour or more. The Skunk did not
return but I was amply repaid for my trouble by having a
fine opportunity to watch a Flying Squirrel who came running
slowly down the stem of an arbor vitae and spent ten or fifteen
minutes feeding on apple parings. He held them between his fore paws
sitting erect with his back curved & tail pressed against it much in
the manner of a Red or Gray Squirrel. All this time he was on
the ground. When he wished to move from one place to another he
accomplished it by taking one or two long hops (3 to 4 ft each)
reminding me of a big Frog. I did not ever see him walk or
run over the ground. Altogether he appeared to be awkward &
ill at ease there as if he was not accustomed to it.
He was much less animated & interesting in his behavior than
the diurnal Squirrels. He was perfectly silent the whole time
save once when he took alarm & ran nimbly up a tree squeaking
like a Bat. For the past three or four nights one of these
Squirrels has "flown" across our fire place at about 6 P.M.
[margin]Flying Squirrels[/margin]