$Unique_ID{QAD00271}
$Pretitle{}
$Title{Weasel-like Squirrel     (Western Gray Squirrel)}
$Subject{Weasel-like Squirrel     (Western Gray Squirrel); Sciurus; Mustelinus}
$Journal{Quadrupeds of North America:  Volume III}
$Volume{Vol. 3:258-259}
$Genus{Sciurus}
$Species{Mustelinus}
$Common_Name{Weasel-like Squirrel}
$Log{
Plate CLII--Left.*00271P1.scf,44290025.aud
Audio*44290025.aud
Genus*00009.txt}

               (C) (P) Library of Natural Sounds 1990-91, 1992,
                              All rights reserved.
       Portions copyright (c) Creative Multimedia Corp., 1990-91, 1992

                       A U D U B O N ' S   M A M M A L S

                    By John James Audubon, F. R. S., &c. &c.

                                      AND

                     The Rev. John Bachman, D. D., &c. &c.

                  -------------------------------------------
                                   VOL.  III.
                        --------------------------------


                      SCIURUS MUSTELINUS.--AUD. and BACH.
                               [Sciurus griseus]

                             WEASEL-LIKE SQUIRREL.
                            [Western Gray Squirrel]

                          PLATE CLII.--MALE.  FIG. 1.


     S. Cervice longissima; cauda corpore longiore; pilis curtis, rigidis,
compressis, teretibus; omni corporis parte nigerrima.


                                  CHARACTERS.

     Neck, very long; tail, longer than the body; hair, short, rigid, adpressed,
and glossy; the whole body, jet black.


                                   SYNONYME.

     SCIURUS MUSTELINUS--WEASEL SQUIRREL.  Aud. and Bach., Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci.
       Phil., Oct. 5, 1841, p. 32.


                                  DESCRIPTION.

     The unusually long neck of this species, together with its long slender
body, and smooth lustrous hair, give it somewhat the appearance of a weasel, and
suggested to us the specific name.
     Ears, of moderate size, and nearly naked, there being only a few hairs on
the borders; feet, covered with very short hairs, which only reach to the roots
of the nails; tail, long, not bushy, moderately distichous.


                                    COLOUR.

     The hairs, in every part of the body, are deep black from the roots to the
tips, and the surface is glossy.


                                  DIMENSIONS.

                                                  Inches.     Lines.

     Length of head and body,.  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 10          0
     Length of tail,.  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  . 13          0
     From shoulder to point of nose,  .  .  .  .  .  3         10
     Tarsus,  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  2          5
     Height of ear posteriorly, .  .  .  .  .  .  .  0          6


                                    HABITS.

     The Weasel-like Squirrel feeds in the woody portions of California, on
acorns, the seeds of the pines and other trees, and makes its nest in the oaks
or nut-bearing pines of that country, which, from their broad spreading branches
and dense leafy boughs, afford it security against the hunter, as with equal
cunning and agility it hides itself, when alarmed, amid the evergreen foliage,
and except when surprised on the ground or near the earth, and shot instantly,
can seldom be killed.  There is no more tantalizing game, in fact, and as the
branches interlock at a moderate elevation from the ground, the animal easily
goes from one tree to another, and so swiftly that it is not often to be traced
in its course of flight along the boughs.
     We are unacquainted with the time of this animal's breeding, but presume it
brings forth about four or five young at a birth.  The young of all species of
squirrels with which we are familiar, are born blind, and remain without sight
from four to six weeks.  This is an admirable provision of nature for their
safety, as were they able to use their eyes at an earlier period, they would
doubtless be tempted to quit the security of the nest and venture on to the
branches, before they had gained strength enough to preserve their footing, and
would thus probably fall to the earth and be killed.


                           GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION.

     The specimen from which our figure and description were made was procured
in California.  We have no authority for stating its northern or southern range,
but consider it a western species--by which we mean that it is not found east of
the Rocky Mountain chain.


                                GENERAL REMARKS.

     From its thin covering of hair, being nearly destitute of the soft fur
usually clothing the squirrels, this species may be considered as belonging to a
moderate or warm climate.  It differs widely from all the other species of Black
Squirrel (as well as all black varieties of Squirrel), in our country.  It has
shorter and coarser hair than S. capistratus, and is destitute of the white nose
and ears of that species, with none of the white tufts invariably found in S.
niger; and has a smaller body, although a much longer tail than S. Auduboni,
without the white, yellow, and brown annulations in the hair which characterize
that species.