70 
ORDERS OF MAMMALS— GNAWING ANIMALS 
they are devoid of spots or stripes. They are 
very strong and active climbers, and keen of eye 
and ear. 
The Gray Squirrel 1 is chosen as the lead- 
ing type because it represents an average size, 
the most frequent color, and is widely distributed. 
This is the most prominent squirrel of southern 
Canada, New England, and the eastern and 
SOUTHERN FOX SQUIRREL. 
southern states, southward to Florida. It 
ranges westward to Minnesota, Kansas and 
Texas. Above its color is clean iron-gray, which 
in southern specimens is mixed with dull yellow. 
The lower surface is white, varying to yellowish 
brown. Usually it nests in hollow trees, but 
when crowded for room builds an open nest of 
green leaves, or strippings of cedar bark made 
into a round ball. The young are usually five 
in number. 
1 Sci-u'rus car-o-li-nen'sis. 
The Gray Squirrel frequently consents to live 
in city parks, and becomes quite tame. It spends 
much of its time upon the ground, searching for 
nuts, roots, or anything which can be eaten. A 
very large specimen measures 9^ + 8^ inches. 
Northern specimens are larger, and have longer 
and finer fur than those of the southern states. 
The California Gray Squirrel 2 is the 
Pacific coast counterpart of the eastern gray 
squirrel, except that it is larger, and its colors 
are brighter. Its color above is bluish gray and 
black, and underneath it is pure white. It is 
the largest squirrel in the far AVest, its maxi- 
mum length being 12 + 10 inches. Its home 
extends from the state of Washington to south- 
ern California, and it is in every way a worthy 
product of that fertile and healthful region. 
The Fox Squirrels. — We have now reached 
two important species, to which the student 
must give close attention in order to avoid con- 
fusing them with each other, and with the gray 
squirrel. The southern species will be presented 
first, because it has two points by which it can 
be recognized at a glance. 
The Southern Fox Squirrel 3 is the only 
Squirrel in America which has a pure white nose 
and white ears. No matter how much the re- 
mainder of the animal may vary in color from 
the standard, in adult specimens the white nose 
and ears are constant. Typical specimens of this 
species are colored as follows : top of head, black ; 
upper surface, blackish brown; lower surface, 
lighter brown ; tail, dark brown, margined with 
black. 
\ r ariations occur, of every shade from the above 
to jet black all over the body, head and tail; but 
the ears and nose still are white. 
This animal measures 13+12 inches. Its 
home is east of the Alleghanies from Virginia to 
Florida, and westward along the Gulf Coast to 
Louisiana. On the map its range looks like an 
arm bent around the range of the next species. 
The Northern Fox Squirrel , 4 or Cat 
Squirrel, is smaller than the southern species 
(12 +11 inches), but very much like it in color, 
save that its nose and ears never are white. The 
standard color is rusty brown, washed with 
black on the upper surface, and bright brown 
underneath. 
2 Sci-u'rus gris’e-us. 3 Sci-u'rus ni'ger. 
4 S. lu-do-vi-ci-an'us. 
