The evening times., 1900-10-08

bushy like those of other squirrels, it is
fat like a feather.
In travelling through the wood. a flying
squirrel runs 10 the top Of one tree, and
jumps in the direction of another one
along the line of march For about three
fourth the distance he descends at an
angle, which varies according TO the
length of the flight and the height of the
starting point and then with cUrvipg
upshoot he alights with a little SMACK
upon the trunk OF the farther tree. Fe
then runs up TO the top or near it. and
sails away TO the next tree, and repeats
the performance until he has completed
his journey. AS rule the fight is Lot
sharp and clean cut, but somewhat culver
ing or futtering; at least in appearance
This fiutering is not, / think, the result
Of any voluntary act on the part OF The
animal. but is due, I should say, to the
action Of the air upon the outer edges OF
the membrane. The same effect is seen,
upon a larger scale, when the wind flaps
the edge OF a mainsai1
Some flying squirrels build nests of
leaves in the treetops. but most Of them
live in holes in the trunks and branches.
The last years nest OF a downy wood
peeker makes an ideal home for q flying
squirrel, and if the tree happens to stand
in swamp il is not likely to remain long
without tenant. Into a decayed trunk
or branch the woodpeeker drills a round
hole an inch and q half in diameter and
then holIows out a chamber about a foot
deep. The following autumn, after the
young woodpeckers have flown the squirrel
takes possession and carries into the hole
a quantity OF the fine outer bark of cedar
trees or other soft material suitable for
nest. In November he retires to this snug
retreat and never so much as pokes his
-. Sol1 H.
respect again the flyer differs from all
other New England squirrels. The red
squirrel may be seen abroad in all weather;
the grey squirrel wakes up on warm days
and comes out for food and exercise, and
even the little chipmunk, although he re-
mains in his underground home, gets up
occasionally TO nibble at his store of grain
or beechnuts. But as far as is known the
flying squirrel sleeps the winter through.
The young are usually born in the latter
part of March. There are generally from
four TO six OF them; wee. blind. and naked,
but with hereditary tendency to cling to
everything they touch. The first hair to
appear is that of the whiskers, which are
visible when the babies are but q few days
old. A little later the cutting teeth ap
pear in the lower jaw and every day the
semi transparent bodies become more and
more fully clothed with fine, soft fur. Be
veins can be readily traced through the
delicate skin, particularly in the flying
membranes. The eyes open when the
youngsters are a month old: at least that
has been my experience with those born
in captivity. When about six weeks old
the little fellows begin to crawl out of
the nest, to play like kittens, but more
gently, and to nibble the crumbs of partly
eaten nuts cut into by the sharp teeth Of
the mother.
And what a lovely little mother she is!
She takes the greatest care of them from
the time they were born. She tucks them
under her, pulls the cedar bark over them,
and blocks up the Ell rance on cold days
to keep them warm. If you put your fin
ger into the hole she will rake all the ba-
bies out of harms way with her front
paws, and then with her nose she will
make a determined effort TO push your fin
ger out of the hole again. Failing in that
she will not bite you, as red squirrel
would have done at the beginning but she
will probably take your finger gently in
her teeth, as though to ask you please to
be gentleman and refrain from causing
her any further annoyance.
Even il you remove the young ones from
the nest she will not bite you, but she Will
come out after them at once In evident