nuisance. It has been accused of driving off the fox and gray squirrels, for which reason it was exterminated from the University campus, where it formerly occurred.

The red-squirrel is very noisy and has a number of calls, chatters, and a whining cough which easily distinguishes it from other squirrels.

Several albinos have been taken in Washtenaw County, one pure albino in Dexter Township in 1908, and one nearly pure white, but with brownish dorsal stripe and tail, near Ann Arbor in 1912.

Sciurus carolinensis leucotis. Northern Gray Squirrel.—Abundant in the county for many years after its settlement. To the early settlers it was an injurious species, as it destroyed much of their scanty corn crop; but in later years it furnished much sport as well as a choice food for the table. Its chosen habitat was the heavy forest of beech and sugar maples, and with the cutting of these woods the gray squirrel has gradually become rare, only a few now being found in the county. As late as 1875 I saw many of the species, about one-half of the black phase.

Its call is a high, shrill chatter, which may be heard quite a distance, and which is distinguished by hunters from the call of the red squirrel or fox squirrel. J. Austin Scott witnessed a migration in the fall of 1840, when hundreds of gray and black squirrels crossed the Raisin River near Adrian. They came from the south and were so exhausted from swimming across the river that the boys killed many with clubs. He counted 30 in one small tree near the water's edge.

Sciurus niger rufiventer. Western Fox Squirrel.—When Michigan was first settled the species was rare and was confined chiefly to the southern part of the state, where it occurred in the oak openings, which seem to be its favorite habitat.[3] With the cutting of the heavy timber it has gradually extended its range, occupying all of the more open forests, and it has become very common, even entering the cities, where it has become semi-domesticated.

W. J. Beal[4] states that in Lenawee County there were no fox squirrels in the early days, but later they came in from the south. At my home in Lodi Township I never saw one until about 1875, and they were rare for several years after that.

This is our largest squirrel, furnishing sport and food for hunters. One albino taken in the county is in the collection of the Museum of Zoology; and one partly melanistic individual, taken near Ann Arbor, November 12, 1910, has the whole underside jet black.

The call is hoarser than that of the gray squirrel, but although not so high in pitch may be heard for some distance. It occasionally swims; I know of one which swam across a part of Portage Lake, one-half mile, on a hot summer day, about 1910.

Glaucomys volans volans. Southern Flying Squirrel.—This species may still be found in some numbers in suitable habitats in the county. They are usually found in woods, although I have found them in houses both in Ann Arbor and at Portage Lake. They nest and live in tree cavities, and in winter are gregarious. In late December, about 1890, in Lodi Township I found 20 or more in a hollow butternut stub. The call is a high, bird-like chirp or long squeak, which I have often heard from the tree tops while in the woods on moonlight nights.

Castor canadensis michiganensis. Woods Beaver.—The first settlers of this county found this species to be nearly extinct, although dams and old beaver meadows were very common. It probably became scarce about 1800. Hon. Henry S. Dean, of Ann Arbor, told me that in 1837 at "Gravel Run," a few miles north of Ann Arbor, he saw a dam in good shape, although not used at that time. Remains of other dams still exist. S. D. Allen, of Ann Arbor, told me that in 1835 he saw a live beaver in the Huron River near Ypsilanti. This is the last record for the county.

Lepus americanus americanus. Snowshoe Hare.—This hare was formerly common over all the southern peninsula of Michigan. In Washtenaw County it persisted for a long time in the tamarack bogs, but when these were mostly drained or destroyed the hares became extinct. It was last taken in Steere's Swamp, four miles south of Ann Arbor, in 1875. One was taken in a swamp near Whitmore Lake in 1890. L. D. Watkins, of Manchester, reports shooting one in a large swamp near Pleasant Lake in the fall of 1907.

Sylvilagus floridanus mearnsii. Mearns Cottontail.—The cottontail was formerly common only in the southern part of Michigan, but it now occurs over all the cultivated area of the Lower Peninsula. It has increased with and followed the civilization that furnished an abundance of food and destroyed many of its enemies.

I have several times found nests in meadows and cultivated fields. The nest is built in a deep form and is lined with fur from the mother's body and fine grass. The young are completely hidden when left by the mother. April 16, 1920, I found a nest containing five young in a stubblefield at Portage Lake. The young were well covered with hair, but the eyes were not open. April 20, 1920, I found another nest containing young on the lawn of an unoccupied house near the shore of Portage Lake. The number of young was not determined. May 5 the young were gone and the nest was deserted. May 16, 1920, L. R. Dice saw four young cottontails with their eyes open in the possession of a boy. They were taken from a nest near Ann Arbor.

About May 10, some years ago, I saw a cottontail jump into and swim across Mill Creek in this county. The animal was not pursued nor driven in any way into the water. Sometimes when caught alive the cottontail utters a loud, shrill cry.

Bison bison bison. American Bison.—According to the reports of the early explorers, this large mammal, in the eighteenth century, occupied, or at least visited, the southern border of the state of Michigan. Although we have no record of its occurrence in this county, its remains have been found just over the western border of the county by L. D. Watkins, who in 1835 picked up three skulls near Norvell, Jackson County (Township 4 south, Range 2 east, Section 22). Two of these skulls were sent to Hillsdale College, where one still remains, though the data with it were lost during a fire; the other skull was sent to Albion College, but cannot now be found. At the time these specimens were collected other bones were plentiful on the surface of the ground.

Cervus canadensis canadensis. Eastern American Elk.—Probably common over most of the Southern Peninsula of Michigan up until the time of the settlements. I have found no record of live elk seen in the county, and the species probably was extinct in the district before 1800. Bones and antlers are common in the marshes and swamps of the county.

Odocoileus virginianus borealis. Northern White-tailed Deer.—Abundant