NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
21 I 
Continental Forests : Black Squirrel. — I have before meniioned {see 
Nature Notes, vol. vii., p. 166) that, so far as seeing wild animals is con- 
cerned, a walk in a public forest on the continent of Europe is not always satis- 
factory. In private forests, or in royal preserves in Germany, of course, the case 
is quite different, and in them abundance of game is to be found. I spent two 
months this summer in the Austrian Tyrol, in the neighbourhood of Innsbruck, 
and was much in the forests. I kept my eyes looking well forward, according to 
my invariable practice, hoping to see a chamois in his native haunts. In this, 
however, I was disappointed, and the only chamois that I saw was a dead one 
slung across the shoulder of a sportsman who was returning from the chase at 
seven o’clock one morning. I saw no live game whatever till within a few days 
of leaving. I had been with a friend to make the ascent of the Waldrast, which, 
however, we could not accomplish owing to bad weather, and as we were nearing 
home and had entered the Ahrenthal, where there is some nice grazing ground in 
the midst of the woods, we noticed a hare going along a grass road, and were 
quite pleased to see something larger than squirrels and mice. Presently we 
started three more hares who made off at our approach. It was getting dark, but 
at a distance of 200 yards or more we could distinguish a few roebuck, who also 
darted off to cover. After going a bit further I heard a rustle amongst the bushes 
close beside me and up jumped a fine buck, who went straight up hill offering a 
fine chance to be shot through the back. A Zulu would have had his assegai 
through him. My friend told some Baurs at the village where he lodged what we 
had seen, and as a consequence a fine roebuck was brought in a day or two after. 
One of the most interesting objects that I found in Tyrol was a wasp’s nest, 
hanging amongst the twigs of a small birch tree at about three feet from the 
ground and quite close to a path where people were constantly passing. Of 
butterflies I saw a great many, and of species I had never met in England — some 
very beautiful. 
Back here in Switzerland, living well above Montreux and surrounded by 
vineyards, it is yet almost an hour’s climb to get to the forests on Mount Cubly. 
1 had not been there for twelve years, and when there last the science of forestry 
was quite out of my ken. Yesterday I thought I would go and see again the fine 
pines up there, and certainly very fine ones they are. Where I was in Austria 
they were cutting over different portions of the pine forests at an age of 80 to lOO 
years or thereabouts ; here the trees have gone a longer time, but fellings are now 
taking place. 
Leaving the pines yesterday, I was skirting a mixed wood of deciduous trees 
and small firs when I came across an animal quite new to me, though 1 had read 
of his existence — a black squirrel. He was gnawing a fir cone on the ground and 
went quietly with it in his mouth across the path and up a tree just in front of me. 
It was a bright clear day so I observed him well. His fur was quite black. I 
could not call it jet black, for there was no gloss on it ; it was what I should call 
an inky black. Under the body the colour changed to a dusky brown. Alto- 
gether he presented a funereal appearance, and I cannot consider him an improve- 
ment on the pretty chestnut-coloured individual we ate all accustomed to see. 
Although I had nev’er seen a black squirrel before, this animal dues not appear to 
be very scarce about here, for a friend tells me that he saw one not long ago near 
Aigle. I suppose the black coat is to harmonise with the sombre pine forests and 
is for the protection of its owner. I should be glad to hear if the black squirrel 
is to be found in England. 
Montreux, Giles A. Daubeny. 
October II, 1901. 
Black Squirrel. — In crossing Barmby Moor Common (2 miles from York), 
which is covered with heather, dotted with fir and silver birch, I saw a squirrel, 
dark brown, approaching black. The tail seemed quite black, very wide and fan- 
like. I have seen hundreds of squirrels in Cornwall, some lighter and darker than 
others, some with white feet and some with the tip of the tail white, but I never 
saw one so nearly approaching black. I should like to know if they are rare. I 
may add that as it went up a rather small isolated silver birch I had a long and 
close view of it. 
September 27, igoi. 
\V. U. Wood Rees. 
