Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1922-10-06
WHITE SQUIRRELS
Naturalists Are Interested In Green
wood County Freaks.

Naturalists Are Interested In Green
wood County Freaks.
A colony of snow white squirrels,
breeding and thriving in this county, Is
attracting the attention and interest OF
naturalists from all parts Of the United
States, says a Greenwood dispatch.
The white squirrels, which are multi
plying and breeding true to type, are
the only white squirrels breeding in
state of nature anywhere in the world
so far as naturalists know.
The squirrels occurred first IN d
grove at the home Of E. Loudon
Brooks, in this county, about thirty
years ago. Two or three of the Whlte
SQUIRRELS appeared suddenly and made
their nests in the oaks in front OF the
old colonial home. They were regard
ed as freaks and no one was allowed
to molest them. The squirrels multi
plied AMI became so tame that now
some build their, nests in the attic OF
the house. AS many as ten were count
ed on the lawn in front OF the BROOKS
home at one time a few days ago. the
white squirrels are spreading and nave
recently appeared in the groves of Mr..
Brooks neighbors.
While albino rodents are fairly
common, albino grey squirrels are very
rare and when found are usually de-
fectiye, according to E. w. Nelson
chief of the Biological Survey OF the
United States Department OF Agricul-
ture, to whose attention the colony
here has recently been brought. While
the squirrels on the Brooks place nave
pink eyes, characteristic Of alblEos'
they are harder than the ordinary
grew squirrel and occur more frequent
ly on the Brooks place than the COM
mon squirrel. The white squirrels have
no physical defects and breed true 10
form, white squirrels producing white
SQUIRRELS. A few times grey squirrels
have been found in the nests of the
whites, but it is not known whether
they were there by adoption or were
the offspring Of white parents. Students
of cugenics say it is extremely rare TO
find Sports or freak specimens,
breeding true to their new form, year
after year, without some flare backs to
the original stock. This has led some
to believe that the white squirrels on
the Brooks place are a distinct breed
rather than albinos.
The only other specimen Of white
squirrel of the gray squirrel type, ac-
cording to the Biological Survey, was
one reported from the Soldiers Home
| in Washington. Ernest Thompson
Seton has reported two albino red
squirrels from New York. Otherwise
white squirrels are practically un-
known except for the thriving colony
in Greenwood county.
w. H. Taylor, engineer naturalist Of
Great Falls, S. c., with worldwide
experience, recently made study OF
the Brooks squirrels and took up the
discussion with the Biological Survey.
E. w. Nelson, chief of the bureau, has
written: 1--WE do not know of any
recorl where the albino strain has
continued in the state Of nature in
squirrels for so long a period, or where
so large a colony has been built up
without selected breeding being carried
on under the agency of man."
Efforts to breed the white squirrels
on the Brooks place in captivity have
been unsuccessful, though attempted
several times.
"Albinos, if not protected, are es-
pecially likely to be killed by predatory
animals and the breeding Of such ami
mails checked in this way" Director
Nelson says. The Brooks squirrels are
particularly hardy, however, and seem
to predominate on the Brooks place.
The unusual type is attracting wide
spread attention and study from natur-
alists and students of eugenics.