Squirrels and other fur-bearers . ge of thecliff, and the slip opened, so that he might havehis choice, whether to remain a captive or to takethe leap. He looked down the awful abyss, andthen back and sidewise, — his eyes glistening,his form crouching. Seeing no escape in anyother direction, he took a flying leap into space,and fluttered rather than fell into the abyss legs began to work like those of a swimmingpoodle-dog, but quicker and quicker, while histail, slightly elevated, spread out like a featherfan. A rabbit of the same weight would havemade the trip in about twelve second
Squirrels and other fur-bearers . ge of thecliff, and the slip opened, so that he might havehis choice, whether to remain a captive or to takethe leap. He looked down the awful abyss, andthen back and sidewise, — his eyes glistening,his form crouching. Seeing no escape in anyother direction, he took a flying leap into space,and fluttered rather than fell into the abyss legs began to work like those of a swimmingpoodle-dog, but quicker and quicker, while histail, slightly elevated, spread out like a featherfan. A rabbit of the same weight would havemade the trip in about twelve seconds; the squir-rel protracted it for more than half a minute,and landed on a ledge of limestone, where wecould see him plainly squat on his hind legs andsmooth his ruffled fur, after which he made forthe creek with a flourish of his tail, took a gooddrink, and scampered away into the willowthicket. The story at first blush seems incredible, butI have no doubt our red squirrel would havemade the leap safely; then why not the great. PLYING SQUIRREL SQUIRRELS 5 black squirrel, since its parachute would be pro-portionately large ? The tails of the squirrels are broad and longand flat, not short and small like those of go-phers, chi]3munks, woodchucks, and other groundrodents, and when they leap or fall through theair the tail is arched and rapidly vibrates. Asquirrels tail, therefore, is something more thanornament, something more than a flag; it notonly aids him in flying, but it serves as a cloak,which he wraps about him when he sleeps. In making the flying leap I have describedthe animals legs are widely extended, their bodiesbroadened and flattened, the tail stiffened andslightly curved, and a curious tremulous motionruns through all. It is very obvious that a delib-erate attempt is made to present the broadest sur-face possible to the air, and I think a red squirrelmight leap from almost any height to the groundwithout serious injury. Our flying squirrel isin no proper sense a
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjecta, booksubjectmammals
