Davis: LocaL Nores ON THE GRAY SQUIRREL 133 
I permitted this squirrel to run about the garden, though al- 
ways keeping him in view. On such occasions almost his first act 
was to roll in the leaves or sand that lay in the gutter of the 
garden walk. 
Gray squirrels have a number of signs and cries to indicate 
their mental state. The low grunt, a plaintive protesting sound, 
and the vibrating of the whole body and tail, when surprised ac- 
companied by a crackling sound. Or they may rapidly vibrate a 
fore paw, as I have seen the deermouse do.? When the cage con- 
taining my two captive specimens was approached with something 
to eat in the hand, there was also a pleasant kind of grunt indica- 
tive of satisfaction or impatience. 
In 1889 the writer owned a second pair of squirrels, a male 
and female. They were kept out of doors in a very large cage 
from April to the approach of winter. They were very fond of 
dandelion leaves, holding them lengthwise and eating down the 
stalk. Lettuce was also a great favorite. They were also fond 
of clover, and gooseberries and raspberries were eagerly eaten. 
When eating a hickory nut they commenced by biting off the 
little sharp point on the end. They did this even if they desired 
to simply carry the nuts about or before burying them in the 
litter at the end of the cage. They did not seem to be able to 
detect a nut with a bad or dried kernel without gnawing a tiny 
hole into it, whereas a chipmunk I had on one occasion threw 
away all of the nuts of light weight. They ate very fast, an apple 
being devoured in a short time, after which they would wipe their 
mouths clean against the woodwork of the cage and sit on the perch 
and chatter their teeth, denoting their excitement. 
They looked out of their box, one head touching the other, and 
seemed very loving, but after a few minutes they would quarrel. 
When they stretched themselves after sleeping, they not only 
put their fore paws out straight but also lifted them as high as 
they could. They usually gaped at the same time. Their fleas 
gave them much exercise, and they spent considerable time in 
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