'niK FOX SCiriKKEIi. 



467 



However, white or partially alhinistic individuals are not uncom- 

 mon. Bangs* mentions a ''curious series rei)resenting every degree 

 of albinism," from Denver, Miami County, Indiana. I have rec- 

 ords of alhinistic individiuds from Kouts, Porter County, and 

 Rising Sun, Ohio County, and there is a skin in the Indiana Uni- 

 versity collection at Bloomington. 



Habits.— The fox squirrel seems better able to adapt itself to 

 man's proximity than its gray cousin. The actual number in the 

 State has no doubt decreased as the land has been subjected to 

 tillage, and the numbers are probably still decreasing, but this is 

 due to the vanishing forests rather than to actual extermination. 

 However, they are not disappearing as rapidly as the gray squir- 

 rels. In the early days the latter species outnumbered the fox 

 squirrels. Indeed, Dr. Haymond says they first appeared in Frank- 

 lin County about 1837, but his statement is open to question, as 

 Dr. Plummer records it without comment at Richmond in 1844, 

 and the Prince of Wied says that it was common at New Harmony 

 in 1832, although less abundant than the gray species. 



It is difficult to say just what has enabled the squirrel of this 

 species to cope better with man than its smaller relative. Its food 

 is similar for the most part, as is its method of obtaining it. The 

 fox squirrel often lives in the open groves about farm buildings, 

 whereas the other species does not often voluntarily take up its 

 residence outside of large tracts of tall timber. In the winter of 

 1906-7 but one fox squirrel was known to live on the 180-acre tract 

 of large trees on University Farm near IMitchell. Large numbers 

 of gray squirrels inhabited this tract. But in the open wood lots 

 of the surrounding farms fox squirrels were abundant, while the 

 other species was rare. 



According to some statements, fox squirrels sometimes joined 

 their gray kindred in the great migrations of the early days. They 

 were in the minority, however, and the early writers always mean 

 the gray species when they speak of the migratory squirrel. At 

 the present time the fox squirrel seems to wander the most, al- 

 though it is not known to take long journeys. In their wander- 

 ings from one wood to another they are often chased up a solitary 

 tree in a field and become victims of the farmer's dog or gun. 

 When hard pressed by a dog they do not hesitate to enter a sink- 

 hole or underground burrow. 



Like the gray squirrels, this species stores up quantities of 



* Froc. Biol. Soc. Washington. Vrj. 10. p. 146. 



