462 



EEPORT OF STATE GEOLOGIST. 



and IMitchell, t-he characteristic rusty tinge is generally retained 

 in winter, although individuals are sometimes seen in which the 

 back is nearly clear gray. I have seen but few winter specimens 

 from farther north than Indianapolis. McAtee (Proc. Biol. Soc, 

 Wash., Vol. 20, p. 3) records leucoiis from Bloomington but on the 

 other hand Bangs assigns specimens from Denver, Miami County, 

 to the southern form. The gray winter coat and the larger size, 

 places those from the two northern rows of counties at least, in the 

 subspecies leucotis, althought they cannot be regarded typical. 

 Throughout the central part of the State there is a blending of the 

 two forms. Some individuals from the same locality have the char- 

 acteristics of one variety and some of the other, while other individ- 

 uals cannot be definitely assigned to either race. 



The southern form ranges from central Indiana and Iowa east 

 to the atlantic and south to the Gulf States. Different varieties 

 occur in Florida and Louisiana. 



Habits. — The gray s(iuirrel is characteristically a dweller of the 

 deep forest. The giant white oaks, tulip poplars, red maples and 

 shellbark hickories which covered the hills of southern Indiana in 

 the early days were its delight. Yet, where it is protected and fed, 

 it becomes a contented inhal)itant of city parks and shade trees. 



It is diffcult for the present generation to realize how numerous 

 these animals were in the early days. Judge Banta, in the history 

 of Johnson County, states that in 1821 four families living in White 

 River township, did not succeed in saving a single bushel of corn 

 from the squirrels. In a four acre field of shocked corn, only a 

 single ear was overlooked by the squirrels. In another four-acre 

 field every ear was taken within two days after the corn had 

 ripened. 



The historian of Bartholomew County gives an accoiuit of a 

 great squirrel hunt which took place in that county in 1834. There 

 was strong rivalry betwe(Mi Sand Oeek and Wayne townships as to 

 which had the best s(|uirrel hnnters. Finally it was agreed that 

 each township should select fifty men to C()mi)ete in a three days' 

 s(|ijirrel hunt, to b(> tcrmiMatcd by a great bai'becue for which the 

 losing side was to ])ay. Tlw total number of s(|ui]Tels killed is not 

 recorded, but an idea of the destruction of the animals may be ob- 

 tained from Ifie stalcnient lhal llie individual ('ha]ni)i()nship was 

 awarded for killing !)()() s(|uirre!s in three days. The second largest 

 number was 783. 



In the e;ii-ly days the Fox s(iuirrels wiwe much less numerous 

 than the gray species. Now the latter are exterminated in many 



