The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1885-03-06
THE GRAY SQUIRREL.
Some Interesting Facts Concerning thi
well-known Rodent.

Some Interesting Facts Concerning this
weIl-known Rodent.
The gray squirrel (Sciar@s caroIin-
ensis) varies in color from yellowish
gray to pure jet black. The average
length of head and body is twelve
inches: of the tail thirteen inches.
This SOU rreI was once found through
out Nc-th America east of the Plains,
but has been EXTERN mated in many
districts by mans brutal destruction.
In the South the gray squirrel lives in
heavily wooded swamps, often in ev-
press forests where almost the entire
surface of the ground is covered with
water. Northward il is found among
wooded hills, delighting in the deepest
forests where nut-bearing trees arc
abundant. In the early morning and
late afternoon, this squirrel is busy
among the tree-tops, feeding, building
its nest, or PLAYING; for several hours
before and after noon, it STAYS in its
nest or crouched in some comfortable
tree fork, resting. The summer domi-
Gle of this species is built, in a suitable
crotch, of twigs and branches with their
leaves vet upon them. and is lined
with moss or some similar material.
Its winter home is always hole in
some great tree. During the rutting
season, tue males have fierce battles
among themselves, and often serious
" wound each other with their sharp
and powerful incisOr teeth. The
Young are five or six in number, and
are produced in MAY or June. Like all
rodents, they mature very rapidly, and
are soon able to take care of them
selves. The gray squirrel passes the
winter in semi-torpid condition, but
on warm days leaves its snug home in
search of such food as the frost may
have spared. 1t lays up but little store.
depending on Its occasional foraging
expeditions for the scant supply OF
food it consumes during the cold
weather.
The food of this species is that of the
squirrels n general; it is also fond OF
the Larvae of insects. and in remote 10
calite where still abundant. does some
damage 30 the grain crops. Because
OF the latter it Is mercileSsly killed. al
though the injury it intiicts is hardly
equivalent in value to the powder and
shot used to DESTROY it. Many years
ago bounty of three pence head was
offered in Pennsylvania for the scalps of
this species. it then being so abundant,
the country being still largely covered
by fore-ts. thai its ravageS were q Sc
r.ous damage 10 the colonistS. In the
West SOU rel killing battues are. or
were up to " thin a short time, still N
vogue. Bets were made as 10 the num-
Der TO be killed, and the wholesale
slaughter was conducted W tn a zeal
worthy OF the native South African,
The Ia graf cns of..th squirrel are par
ticrlarly interesting: they have now,
owing to the scarcity OF the spec cs,
growa much rarer than formerly. I'm
mems numbers OF squirrels would con-
gregate together. and migrate IN search
of food-or il NAV have been aiveE-
lures crossing open giades. broad
rivers. and even arms of lakes, stop
p NJ for nothing unit Their arrival at .
suitable locality. when they dispersed
and again look to their usual manner
of living. The voice of the gray SPUR
rel is a shr Il bark, which sounds mu-
steal enough as il rings through the
forest IN the early hours of a bright
summer morn NC. The beautiful black
variety OF This species does not differ in
any way in habits from his gray b-o:b-
er.-.C Country Gentleman.