The Portland daily press., 1893-05-06

eny. At times, too, the gray squirrel
will show much rusty coloring on some
parts, which has caused many to regard
them as hybrids with the fox squirrel,
but such is not the case, for the gray has
this feruginous tendency also in its va
riations
The fox squirrel found west Of the AL
leghanies pervades the Mississippi valley
broadly till it merges into the habitat Of
the southern Fox squirrel, which is con-
fined closely to the coast. Casually
these are all distinguished from the
grays by being reddish underneath,
while all varieties Of the gray are white
below. The foxes, too, all have their
dusAy varieties, and especially our west
ern species, but the reddish bones readily
distinguish them in all states of pelage.
These also have only four permanent
moiar teeth, while the grays have five.
The coloring of the bones in the rusty
species is believed by many to be not
necessarily inherent, but to depend upon
some form of food which the gray kinds
do not consume This view of it opens
up new field of study, gives new
problem to the naturalist. It is we'll
known that if the parent canasy is fed
ON certain food the color of the young is
affected. Crows that eat polkberries have
their bones colored red, and hogs-es-
pecially white hogs-have their bones
similarly colored by roots containing pig
ment. So "some mute, inglorious" natu-
ralist may yet make himself name by
discovering what it is that the fox squir-
rel colors his bones with, if it SHOULD be
a matter OF feeding.
The fox squirrel is more inclined to
stay with us than the gray. He is of a
more domestic nature, stands the en-
croachments of civilization better and
likes now and then to steal an ear from
the fencerail cornpen Of the improvi-
dent western farmer. He is content,
too, VITA lower timber, builds his home
in the short, scrubby snags of the post
oak ridges and occasionally cradles his
young in a leafy hammock when holes
are scarce. The cultivation Of the rich
bottoms does not SO much affect him
While the eray may be said to never
dine-feeding only early and late-the
fox may be abroad well into sstke heat
of the day.
He has another habit that renders him
perhaps better able to take care of him
self--he is great believer in and pro-
wider Of place Of refuge and generally
goes to it when he starts, while thu gray
shows stronger tendency to take any tree
If pushed a little, depending more upon
concealment. The other is not so well
color protected against the bark. Our
grays hibernate during severe spells and
lay up stores in their winter couch, while
our ''fox'' is abroad nearly all the time
and buTies hts nut or acorn in the ground
only In the fall, and with wonderful To-
calizing capacity he can return and dig
it up from beneath the snow.
Our hunting season may be said to be-
gin in May and end with December. The
young ''foxes" born, many of them in
February, are often 'ripe" on the elm
Dough before It's leaf buds are fully ex-
banded, but the gray is later scarcely
ready for the frying pan before May
10. Hunting young squirrels is scarcely
sportsmanlike proceeding and by no
means has tendency to the games pres
ervation, but the demands Of the platter
and palate largely subdue the qualms of
conscience. The sport now is q cautious
sneak, with a knowledge of all the breed
ing trees of the region. Later, when the
young have left the home trees, good
squirrel dog, if not necessity, is lux
nry, though much may yet be done with
quick eye and ear and cautious stalk.
In these times the shotgun and No.
shot are requisite, but later in the sum-
mer and fay the small bored rife gives
fine results, especially if the game be so
abundant that one can barter little loss
for a good deal of skill. Twenty-Five
borss and a5-beres are now fitted with
telescope sights and do very effective
work il the tallest timber. In August
Dur SQUIRRELS haunt The hickory trees