SQUIRREL (OF. esqvirel, eseoreuil, Fr. ecureuil, squirrel, from ML. sciuriolus, scivrellus, diminutive of Lat. sciorus, from Gk. arcloupos, skiouros, squirrel, shadow-tail, from Glad, skin, shadow + apci, ours, tail). A rodent mammal of the family' Sciurithe, subfamily Sciurince. The Sciurinte are a group of seven genera with compressed incisors, rather slender bodies, and long, hairy tails. The number of species is still a matter of doubt, owing to the remarkable range of color-variation among the individuals. Squirrels are found in all parts of the world except Australia, and are most abundant in India and Southern Asia. They range from the size of a mouse to that of a cat. In color squir rels tend toward gray, reddish brown, or black, though many species are white underneath, and the Oriental species are often handsomely vari egated. The pelages differ locally in texture, being affected apparently by the climate. Some of the northern species have a fine, dense fur, and their skins have considerable commercial value, while some of the tropical species have the hair scanty and rather stiff, and in one genus spines are present comparable to those of a porcupine. The genus Sciurus includes nearly three-fourths of all known squirrels, and all but five of the American species.
The commonest and most widely distributed of these is the red squirrel or chickaree (Sciurus Iludsonius), which ranges from the northern and the mountainous parts of the United States to the limit of trees in British America. It is a small species only eight inches long, not including the tail. Its upper surface is bright ferruginous or chestnut red; the lower surface is pure white, and there is a black stripe along the sides. The ears are commonly tipped with a little tuft of hairs. In its habits the chickaree is a typical squirrel, very active, almost exclusively arboreal, and very fond of nuts, which are one of the most important items in its bill of fare. The diet is, however, diversified, as is true of most squirrels, for while nuts and grains are doubt less the staple articles, birds and their eggs and young, insects, young twigs, and fruit are often eaten. Many ornithologists, indeed, consider this squirrel one of the most deadly enemies of the common song birds, and this enmity is fre quently expressed by the birds themselves. The home of the chickaree is usually in some hollows tree, though frequently a special nest is con structed out of branches, twigs, and leaves. The
young are born in the spring, three or four in a litter. The chickaree is a rather noisy little animal, and though not gregarious, several are usually found within calling distance of each other. The sounds uttered are rapidly repeated notes, making a shrill, scolding chatter.
East of the great plains and south of the chickaree's range occur the fox squirrels, the largest and handsomest of the American Seiu ride. They are a foot or more in length, besides the beautiful bushy tail, which is somewhat longer than the head and body. The color ranges from gray with a reddish tinge to jet black. The largest form is the black squirrel (Sciurus 'tiger) of the South Atlantic and Gulf States, which is usually very dark colored, but always has the nose and ears white. The fox squirrel of the Middle States (Sciurus cinereus) is usually red dish, with the tips of the hairs whitish, giving it a grizzled appearance, but black specimens are common. The fox squirrel of the Mississippi Valley (Sciurvs Ludovicianus) is more strongly and constantly reddishand is rarely, if ever, black. These large squirrels all agree in their habits, which are not essentially different from those of the chickaree, except that fox squirrels seem to do less harm to the birds. They are intelligent and in captivity make interesting pets. They have a considerable antipathy to the chickaree.
The 'gray' squirrels are a third group of com mon American species, somewhat smaller than the fox squirrels and more widely distributed, ranging as far west as California. They have a considerable tendency toward melanism in cer tain regions. They are white or whitish under neath. The common Eastern species (Sciurus Carolinensis) is about ten inches long, besides the somewhat longer tail. It is one of the popu lar game animals of New England, where the fox squirrel is very rare, and not only is it prized for food, but the skin has some commercial value. It is also often kept as a pet, and, like the fox squirrel, can be taught simple tricks. Two or three other species of gray squirrel occur in the Southwestern United States and California, of which the chestnut-backed gray squirrel (Sciurus Aberti) is notable for having the ears tufted as in the chickaree. This is a very handsome species, with a broad band of chestnut on the back and a black stripe on each side; mehmistie specimens are common. The California gray squirrel (Sciurus fusser) is remarkable for its large size and black tail.