black squirrels

[Margaret Carter]

In article <05JAN95.10589500.0030 at sjumusic.stjohns.edu>,
LOCKSHIN, RICHARD A <YPRLBIO at sjumusic.stjohns.edu> wrote:
>In article <3ee8nu$l6t at usenet.ucs.indiana.edu> gilbertd at sunflower.bio.indiana.edu (Don Gilbert) writes:
etc
snip

I grew up in Southwestern Ontario (Sarnia and London) and thought until 
well into my teens that all squirrels were black.  Grey's started 
appearing here about 15 years ago into an entirely black population and 
are almost as common now as the black variety.  As for differences in 
size, I think it's just a difference in fur desity, since in the winter 
here the apparent size difference is more notable.  This fits in with the 
bushier tail observation.

BTW, I spend a good deal of time further north through the summer, and 
neither black nor grey are seen north of about Perry Sound.  Here there 
are only red squirrels, a very very shy, pettit squirrel, looking more 
like a chipmonk in size and body shape and a beautiful auburn colour.  
They are very vocal and inclined to chirp at you from a nearby tree 
when you invade their territory.


Margaret Carter
no sig, no time.