The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1906-11-01
Project the Grey Squirrel.

The scarcity of the little grey tqurrels
naming humble of these animals are
being thinned out by hunters who kill
them for their skins and to sell them to
markets has led the admirers of these
little animals to start an agitation which
may result in the passage by tho leglsla
ture at its coming session Of law which
hunters for long term OF years and
give them chance to recover the place
they once held In the State II is not
many years ago that grey squirrels were
comparatively plentiful in Maine. In
practically every section of tho State
where there we're nut trees 10 give them
food the grey squirrels were to be found
IN consider BILE mum beTs. Now il il
hard TO find one anywhere except In
some sections in the western part of The
State.
The skin of the grey squirrel has some
value for fur being used IN lining gloves
and as trimming for ladies garments
1t is not nearly 30 valuable as that of
the European grey squirrel which is
made up into very valuable boas and
| other garments in high fashion. The
flesh of the grey squirrel Is also very
tender eating. When cooked 10y a per
son who knows the art, the fish of the
grey squirrel is as sweet aud tender as
chicken and there are many who hunt
the animals for their flesh.
The grey squirrel has a hard row to
hoe Besides the hunters who are al.
ways after him he has an impaoable foe
IN the little red squirrels which are to
be found everywhere in the woods A
male red squirrel will iDfllct injuries on
male grey squirrel at every opportuni-
ty and the reds will speedily drive the
greys out of the grove, even though the
grey is twice the size of the red. This
| trait of the red squirrel in inficting
punishment on the grey is one cause of
the scarcity of the greys With them 1t
is not case of intentional but inevitable
race suicide.
There Is practically no propensity for
| harm in the grey squirrel compared with
the mischievous nature of his red cousin.
The grey lives almost altogether on nuts
/ when he can get them but of course has
a taste for corn, apples, and other things
which he gratifies at every opportunity
On the other hand there are many who
advocate bounty on the red squirrels
similar to that which was placed on
porcupines owing to the work of the red
squirrels in destroying the seeds of many
trees A family of red squirrels will
strip the cones off an evergreen tree, be
it pine, spruce OF hemlock, in less time
than it takes to tell about it, nipping
the cones off and sending them to the
ground like hail and then going down
to pick out and eat the seeds Frequently
red squirrel which has been killed will
have bis mouth all stuck up with the
pitch off the cones which he has stripped
of their seeds
The grey squirrel has lots of friends,
There are many old hunters who would
not kill one Of these little animals even
though they know how tender his flesh
is. They say the greys do no harm and
are too pretty and cunning to watch TO
be the prey of the hunter. A close time
on the little fellows would give them a
chance to increase In numbers and give
hem at least a chance in their fight for
existence which they are forever com
PEELED to maintain with the red squirrels