It has usually been assumed that squirrels, and indeed most rodents, feed wholly on vegetable food, and that in those instances in which the contrary has been observed there was evidence of a perverted or morbid appetite. Audubon and Bachmann, however, state that the flying squirrel (Pteromys volucella, Des.) has been caught in traps baited with meat. A number of writers,[1] especially within the past few years, have drawn attention to flesheating habits in several rodents, mostly under peculiar circumstances. Some interesting questions arise in this connection: 1. In how far is any rodent carnivorous, when abundance of all the different kinds of vegetable food that the animal uses is at hand? 2. What is the relation between confinement and altered appetites? 3. In how far are such altered appetites evidence of morbid or perverted conditions, and in how far simply the expression of physiological needs? The whole subject, I am inclined to think, might be placed on a broad and sound physiological foundation; but, before that can be done, many accurate observations are required, and possibly also many series of experiments. If we may judge by the common house rat, rodents possess unusual plasticity as to feeding and other habits, and not less as regards their mental life. I found that my chipmunk would take a great variety of foods, though the experiment of feeding with meat was not tried. He drank milk greedily.
There is one peculiar habit, interesting from a physiological point of view, to be observed in squirrels in confinement. A writer in "Nature" (vol. x) says, "I have noticed that whenever it [the squirrel] cleans itself, after licking, it sneezes violently three or four times into its fore-paws, then rubs them thus damped over its fur." And this writer raises the question as to whether this habit, which he believes voluntary, was confined to squirrels. He does not mention what sort of a squirrel his own was; but I have noticed this behavior as of most frequent occurrence in my caged chipmunk. It seems to me, on the whole, most natural to consider it a voluntary act of the same character, and possibly for a similar purpose, as cleaning the throat in the human subject, or perhaps even blowing the nose. And I am the more inclined to believe that it is voluntary, from the account given of the flying squirrel, as observed by Prof. G. H. Perkins and recorded in "The American Naturalist" (vol. vii). This writer states that on one occasion his squirrel lapped some ink, but shortly afterward manifested disgust and indulged in violent sneezings. Under these circumstances it is difficult to understand, by anything in our own experience, how the act could have been reflex.
Speaking of the relative intelligence of squirrels, this writer says, "I am inclined to believe that the flying squirrel does not
- ↑ "Science," vol. viii; "Canadian Naturalist," vol. iii.
