We were now travelling among the spurs of the "Ozark hills," and our
road was a more difficult one. The ravines were deeper, and as our
course obliged us to cross the direction in which most of them ran, we
were constantly climbing or descending the sides of steep ridges. There
was no road except a faint Indian trail, used by the Kansas in their
occasional excursions to the borders of the settlements. At times we
were compelled to cut away the underwood, and ply the axe lustily upon
some huge trunk that had fallen across the path and obstructed the
passage of our waggon. This rendered our progress but slow.
During such halt most of the party strayed off into the woods in search
of game. Squirrels were the only four-footed creatures found, and
enough of these were shot to make a good-sized "pot-pie;" and it may be
here remarked, that no sort of flesh is better for this purpose than
that of the squirrel.
The species found in these woods was the large "cat-squirrel" (_Sciurus
cinereus_), one of the noblest of its kind. Of course at that season,
amid the plenitude of seeds, nuts, and berries, they were as plump as
partridges. This species is usually in good condition, and its flesh
the best flavoured of all. In the markets of New York they bring three
times the price of the common grey squirrel.
As we rode along, the naturalist stated many facts in relation to the
squirrel tribe, that were new to most of us. He said that in North
America there were not less than twenty species of true squirrels, all
of them dwellers in the trees, and by including the "ground" and
"flying" squirrels (_tamias_ and _pteromys_), the number of species
might be more than forty. Of course there are still new species yet
undescribed, inhabiting the half-explored regions of the western
territory.
The best-known of the squirrels is the common "grey squirrel," as it is
in most parts of the United States the most plentiful. Indeed it is
asserted that some of the other species, as the "black squirrel"
(_Sciurus niger_), disappear from districts where the grey squirrels
become numerous--as the native rat gives place to the fierce "Norway."
The true fox squirrel (_Sciurus vulpinus_) differs essentially from the
"cat," which is also known in many States by the name of fox squirrel.
The former is larger, and altogether a more active animal, dashing up to
the top of a pine-tree in a single run. The cat-squirrel, on the
contrary, is slow and timid among the branches, and rarely mounts above
the first fork, unless when forced higher by the near approach of its
enemy. It prefers concealing itself behind the trunk, dodging round the
tree as the hunter advances upon it. It has one peculiarity, however,
in its mode of escape that often saves it, and disappoints its pursuer.
Unless very hotly pursued by a dog, or other swift enemy, it will not be
treed until it has reached the tree that contains its nest, and, of
course, it drops securely into its hole, bidding defiance to whatever
enemy--unless, indeed, that enemy chance to be the pine-martin, which is
capable of following it even to the bottom of its dark tree-cave.
Now most of the other squirrels make a temporary retreat to the nearest
large tree that offers. This is often without a hole where they can
conceal themselves, and they are therefore exposed to the small shot or
rifle-bullet from below.
It does not always follow, however, that they are brought down from
their perch. In very heavy bottom timber the squirrel often escapes
among the high twigs, even where there are no leaves to conceal it, nor
any hole in the tree. Twenty shots, and from good marksmen too, have
been fired at a single squirrel in such situations, without bringing it
to the ground, or seriously wounding it! A party of hunters have often
retired without getting such game, and yet the squirrel has been
constantly changing place, and offering itself to be sighted in new
positions and attitudes!
The craft of the squirrel on these occasions is remarkable. It
stretches its body along the upper part of a branch, elongating it in
such a manner, that the branch, not thicker than the body itself, forms
almost a complete shield against the shot. The head, too, is laid
close, and the tail no longer erect, but flattened along the branch, so
as not to betray the whereabouts of the animal.
Squirrel-shooting is by no means poor sport. It is the most common kind
practised in the United States, because the squirrel is the most common
game. In that country it takes the place that snipe or partridge
shooting holds in England. In my opinion it is a sport superior to
either of these last, and the game, when killed, is not much less in
value. Good fat squirrel can be cooked in a variety of ways, and many
people prefer it to feathered game of any kind. It is true the squirrel
has a rat-like physiognomy, but that is only in the eyes of strangers to
him. A residence in the backwoods, and a short practice in the eating
of squirrel pot-pie, soon removes any impression of that kind. A hare,
as brought upon the table-cloth in England, is far more likely to
produce _degout_--from its very striking likeness to "puss," that is
purring upon the hearth-rug.
In almost all parts of the United States, a day's squirrel-shooting may
be had without the necessity of making a very long journey. There are
still tracts of woodland left untouched, where these animals find a
home. In the Western States a squirrel-hunt may be had simply by
walking a couple of hundred yards from your house, and in some places
you may shoot the creatures out of the very door.
To make a successful squirrel-hunt two persons at least are necessary.
If only one goes out, the squirrel can avoid him simply by "dodging"
round the trunk, or any large limb of the tree. When there are two, one
remains stationary, while the other makes a circuit, and drives the game
from the opposite side. It is still better when three or four persons
make up the party, as then the squirrel is assailed on all sides, and
can find no resting-place, without seeing a black tube levelled upon
him, and ready to send forth its deadly missile.
Some hunt the squirrel with shot-guns. These are chiefly young hands.
The old hunter prefers the rifle; and in the hands of practised marksmen
this is the better weapon. The rifle-bullet, be it ever so small, kills
the game at once; whereas a squirrel severely peppered with shot will
often escape to the tree where its hole is, and drop in, often to die of
its wounds. No creature can be more tenacious of life--not even a cat.
When badly wounded it will cling to the twigs to its last breath, and
even after death its claws sometimes retain their hold, and its dead
body hangs suspended to the branch!
The height from which a squirrel will leap to the ground without
sustaining injury, is one of those marvels witnessed by every
squirrel-hunter. When a tree in which it has taken refuge is found not
to afford sufficient shelter, and a neighbouring tree is not near enough
for it to leap to, it then perceives the necessity of returning to the
ground, to get to some other part of the woods. Some species, as the
cat-squirrel, fearing to take the dreadful leap (often nearly a hundred
feet), rush down by the trunk. Not so the more active squirrels, as the
common grey kind. These run to the extremity of a branch, and spring
boldly down in a diagonal direction. The hunter--if a stranger to the
feat--would expect to see the creature crushed or crippled by the fall.
No danger of that. Even the watchful dog that is waiting for such an
event, and standing close to the spot, has not time to spring upon it,
until it is off again like a flying bird, and, almost as quick as sight
can follow, is seen ascending some other tree.
There is an explanation required about this precipitous leap. The
squirrel is endowed with the capability of spreading out its body to a
great extent, and this in the downward rush it takes care to do--thus
breaking its fall by the resistance of the air. This alone accounts for
its not killing itself.
Nearly all squirrels possess this power, but in different degrees. In
the flying squirrels it is so strongly developed, as to enable them to
make a flight resembling that of the birds themselves.
The squirrel-hunter is often accompanied by a dog--not that the dog ever
by any chance catches one of these creatures. Of him the squirrel has
but little fear, well knowing that he cannot climb a tree. The office
of the dog is of a different kind. It is to "tree" the squirrel, and,
by remaining at the root, point out the particular tree to his master.
The advantage of the dog is obvious. In fact, he is almost as necessary
as the pointer to the sportsman. First, by ranging widely, he beats a
greater breadth of the forest. Secondly, when a squirrel is seen by
him, his swiftness enables him to hurry it up some tree _not its own_.
This second advantage is of the greatest importance. When the game has
time enough allowed it, it either makes to its own tree (with a hole in
it of course), or selects one of the tallest near the spot. In the
former case it is impossible, and in the latter difficult, to have a
fair shot at it.
If there be no dog, and the hunter trusts to his own eyes, he is often
unable to find the exact tree which the squirrel has climbed, and of
course loses it.
A good squirrel-dog is a useful animal. The breed is not important.
The best are usually half-bred pointers. They should have good sight as
well as scent; should range widely, and run fast. When well trained
they will not take after rabbits, or any other game. They will bark
only when a squirrel is treed, and remain staunchly by the root of the
tree. The barking is necessary, otherwise the hunter, often separated
from them by the underwood, would not know when they had succeeded in
"treeing."
The squirrel seems to have little fear of the dog, and rarely ascends to
a great height. It is often seen only a few feet above him, jerking its
tail about, and apparently mocking its savage enemy below.
The coming up of the hunter changes the scene. The squirrel then takes
the alarm, and shooting up, conceals itself among the higher branches.
Taking it all in all, we know none of the smaller class of field sports
that requires greater skill, and yields more real amusement, than
hunting the squirrel.
Our Kentuckian comrade gave us an account of a grand squirrel-hunt got
up by himself and some neighbours, which is not an uncommon sort of
thing in the Western States. The hunters divided themselves into two
parties of equal numbers, each taking its own direction through the
woods. A large wager was laid upon the result, to be won by that party
that could bring in the greatest number of squirrels. There were six
guns on each side, and the numbers obtained at the end of a week--for
the hunt lasted so long--were respectively 5000, and 4780! Of course
the sport came off in a tract of country where squirrels were but little
hunted, and were both tame and plenty.
Such hunts upon a grand scale are, as already stated, not uncommon in
some parts of the United States. They have another object besides the
sport--that of thinning off the squirrels for the protection of the
planter's corn-field. So destructive are these little animals to the
corn and other grains, that in some States there has been at times a
bounty granted, for killing them. In early times such a law existed in
Pennsylvania, and there is a registry that in one year the sum of 8000
pounds was paid out of the treasury of this bounty-money, which at
threepence a head--the premium--would make 640,000, the number of the
squirrels killed in that year!
The "migration of the squirrels" is still an unexplained fact. It is
among the grey squirrels it takes place; hence the name given to that
species, _Sciurus migratorius_. There is no regularity about these
migrations, and their motive is not known. Immense bands of the
squirrels are observed in a particular neighbourhood, proceeding through
the woods or across tracts of open ground, all in one direction.
Nothing stays their course. Narrow streams and broad rivers are crossed
by them by swimming, and many are drowned in the attempt.
Under ordinary circumstances, these little creatures are as much afraid
of water as cats, yet when moving along their track of migration they
plunge boldly into a river, without calculating whether they will ever
reach the other side. When found upon the opposite bank, they are often
so tired with the effort, that one may overtake them with a stick; and
thousands are killed in this way when a migration has been discovered.
It is stated that they roll pieces of dry wood, or bark, into the water,
and, seating themselves on these, are wafted across, their tails
supplying them with a sail: of course this account must be held as
apocryphal.
But the question is, what motive impels them to undertake these long and
perilous wanderings, from which it is thought they never return to their
original place of abode? It cannot be the search of food, nor the
desire to change from a colder to a warmer climate. The direction of
the wanderings forbids us to receive either of these as the correct
reason. No light has been yet thrown upon this curious habit. It would
seem as if some strange instinct propelled them, but for what purpose,
and to what end, no one can tell.