Volume 1

The vivparous quarupeds of North America / [John James Audubon].

  • Audubon, John James, 1785-1851
Date:
1847
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The vivparous quarupeds of North America / [John James Audubon]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    64/416 (page 42)
    Feet, on their upper surface rufous ; on the shoulders, forehead, ears, and along the thighs, there is a slight tinge of the same colour. Whiskers, (which are a little longer than the head,) black. The whole of the under surface, as well as a line around the eyes and a small patch above the nostrils, bluish-gray. The tail, for about one-half its length presents on the upper surface a dark rufous appearance, many of the hairs being nearly black, pointed with light rufous. At the extremity of the tail and along it for about an inch and three-quarters, the hairs are black, a few of them slightly tipped with rufous. Hind-feet, from the heel to the palms thickly clothed with short adpressed light-coloured hairs ; palms naked. The sides are marked by a line of black, commencing at the shoulder and terminating abruptly on the flanks ; this line is about two inches in length, and four lines wide. DIMENSIONS. Length of head and body . . 6i inches Tail (vertebrae) ..... . . 3f do. Do., including fur ..... 5 do. Height of ear posteriorly • • 1 do. Do., including fur .... 5 • * 8 do. Palm and middle fore-claw . do. Sole and middle hind-claw . \L • • 18 do. HABITS. The only knowledge we have obtained of the habits of this species, is contained in a note from Mr. Townsend, who obtained the specimen from which the above description was taken. He remarks : “ It is evidently a distinct species. Its habits are very different from the Sciurus Hud- sonius. It frequents the pine trees in the high ranges of the Rocky Mountains west of the Great Chain, feeding upon the seeds contained in the cones. These seeds are large and white, and contain a good deal of nutriment. The Indians eat a great quantity of them, and esteem them good. “ The note of this squirrel is a loud jarring chatter, very different from the noise of Sciurus Hudsonius. It is not at all shy, frequently coming down to the foot of the tree to reconnoitre the passenger, and scolding at him vociferously. It is, I think, a scarce species.” GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION. Lewis and Clarke speak of the “ Brown Squirrel ”, as inhabiting the banks of the Columbia river. Our specimen is labelled. Rocky Moun-