192
THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
The animal found a congenial home at Woburn and has flourished
exceedingly, and several other places (to be mentioned later
on) have been stocked from this source.
The third centre in order of date is Finnart on Loch Long,
Dumbartonshire, and reports are to the effect that a pair was
liberated there about 1892, although it was not until 1903 that
specimens first began to reach the hands of local taxidermists.5
The large numbers of squirrels and great extension of area
in the district (of which further particulars are given on page 200
below) seem even more remarkable, if due to a single pair, than
the developments at Woburn.
Topographical Details.
I propose now to give some topographical details and shall
begin with London and the home counties. In addition to
personal observations these details are from reports made by
other observers whose kindness and readiness in giving me
information I gratefully acknowledge. Much of what follows
is necessarily a compilation from these reports.
London.
The first grey squirrels brought into the Metropolitan area
were from Woburn, a number being sent to the Zoological Gardens
in 1905.6 In a few weeks they became sufficiently tame and
a number were liberated in the Gardens from whence they
spread into the Regents' Park, where their familiar and confiding
habits, combining friendliness with alertness, rapidly made
them great favourites with visitors. This was the beginning
of their popularity and many people became acquainted with
this animal for the first time there. Now, after nearly eighteen
years, they are estimated to number 250 in the Regent's Park
and they continue to maintain their numbers although there
is no obvious increase in recent years. They have spread out-
wards, and the gardens and open spaces of St. John's Wood,.
Parliament Hill Fields, Hampstead, Ken Wood, Highgate,
Hendon and probably other North London Districts have
become populated. In Hampstead they were first observed in
the year 1908. Sometimes they turn townwards and Mr. Chas.
Oldham tells me that he recently saw one at the entrance of
5. Mr. John Paterson, Glasgow Naturalist, 1912, iv., p. 136, and v., p. 40.
6. Official Guide to the Gardens, Zool. Society, 5th ed., 1907, p. 78.