Journals of the
Lewis & Clark Expedition

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Search : squirrel
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Your search returned 83 results from all items Search Only Journals

August 30, 1806 - Clark, William
  • Mattes (FR), 505–6; MRC map 35. "Whistling squirrel" seems to have been the captains' name for the Columbian ground squirrel of the Rocky Mountains.
  • August 30, 1806
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
September 15, 1803 - Lewis, Meriwether
  • Lewis 15 September Set out this morning at sunrise, passed the mouth of the little Kanaway (Little Kanawaha River) one mile below our encampment of last evening on the Virginia (West Virginia) shore    it is about 60 yards wide at it's mouth    there is a considerable settlement on this river    it heads with the Monongahela (Monongahela River) , passed the mouths of the little (Little Hocking River) and big Hockhockin (Hocking River) and the settlement of Bellpray (Belpre, Ohio) —a yanke settlement    passed several bad riffles over which we were obliged to lift the boat, saw and caught by means of my dog several squirrels, attempting to swim the river, one of these, the only instance I have observed, was swiming from the S.
  • September 15, 1803
  • Journals
  • Lewis, Meriwether
January 15, 1806 - Lewis, Meriwether
  • Had a large coat completed out of the skins of the Tiger Cat and those also of a small animal about the size of a squirrel not known to me; these skins I procured from the Indians who had previously dressed them and formed them into robes; it took seven of these robes to complete the coat.   
  • January 15, 1806
  • Journals
  • Lewis, Meriwether
February 21, 1806 - Lewis, Meriwether
  • they are extreemly active strong and prepared for climbing, which they do with great agility, and bound from tree to tree in pursuit of the squirrel or Rackoon their natural and most usual food.    their colour is a jut black except a small spot of white on the breast.   
  • February 21, 1806
  • Journals
  • Lewis, Meriwether
June 10, 1806 - Lewis, Meriwether
  • Lewis (Lewis, Meriwether) and Clark (Clark, William) commonly applied this term to the prairie dog, Cynomys ludovicianus (see September 7, 1804, and July 1, 1806); here he may be referring to the Columbian ground squirrel, Spermophilus columbianus (see May 23 and 27, 1806). The gray squirrel mentioned for comparison is Sciurus carolinensis.
  • June 10, 1806
  • Journals
  • Lewis, Meriwether
August 8, 1804 - Clark, William
  • Time   h   m       s   8    26    59   8    28    29 altd. 80° 15' 15" 8    30      3   Evidently Clark (Clark, William) was carrying his small rifle, which seems to have been a long-barreled "Kentucky" of relatively small caliber, of the sort often called a squirrel gun. Killing a large mammal like an elk with such a weapon would call for great accuracy.
  • August 8, 1804
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
September 8, 1804 - Clark, William; Lewis, Meriwether
  • April 1810], Jackson (LLC), 1:136–39, 2:528, 739 n. 3; Abel (TD); Diller (MMR); Diller (PH); Allen, 68, 138–39. The fox squirrel, Sciurus niger. Jones et al., 152–56. The gray wolf, Canis lupus nubilis, which varies considerably in color.
  • September 8, 1804
  • Journals
  • Clark, William; Lewis, Meriwether
June 12, 1805 - Lewis, Meriwether
  • .—    after refreshing ourselves abut 2 hours we again ascended the bluffs and gained the high plain; saw a great number of burrowing squirrels in the plains today.    also wolves Antelopes mule deer and immence herds of buffaloe.   
  • June 12, 1805
  • Journals
  • Lewis, Meriwether
October 21, 1805 - Whitehouse, Joseph
  • These Natives were chiefly 〈covered〉 Cloathed with deer & Elk skins, which they dress into leather.    They had also some Rabbit, & squirrel skins among them.—    We also saw with them blue Cloth & blankets, Our Course continues nearly West.
  • October 21, 1805
  • Journals
  • Whitehouse, Joseph
October 30, 1805 - Clark, William
  • There are a number of creeks near Viento (Viento, Oreg.) , Hood River County (Hood River County, Oreg.) , Oregon (Oregon) in the right location, including Viento (Viento Creek) , Starvation (Starvation Creek) , Cabin (Cabin Creek (Oreg.)) , Warren (Warren Creek) , Lindsey (Lindsey Creek) , and Summit (Summit Creek) creeks. Probably the western gray squirrel. By mountains Clark (Clark, William) does not mean the Rocky Mountains (Rocky Mountains) , but rather the hills along the Columbia River (Columbia River) .
  • October 30, 1805
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
Lewis and Clark on the Great Plains A Natural History
  • Grizzly bear adult (top) and black bear adult (bottom) Drawing of an adult grizzly bear and an adult black bear Eastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger Captain Clark reported that the fox squirrel was seen as far as about 20 miles upstream of the Niobrara River, in what is now extreme northern Nebraska (Boyd County) or adjacent southeastern South Dakota (Charles Mix County). However, fox squirrels were evidently seen to the north, at least to the vicinity of Fort Randall, South Dakota (noted on September 8, 1804).
  • Elk, adult male Drawing of an adult male elk Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Captain Clark reported that the gray squirrel was found as far north as the mouth of the Little Sioux River, in present-day Iowa (Harrison County) or adjacent Nebraska (Burt County).
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • Paul A. Johnsgard
May 14, 1806 - Clark, William
  • Again the word appears to have been added to a blank space. Richardson's red squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus richardsoni, common to the northern Rockies (Rocky Mountains) ; see February 25, 1806.
  • May 14, 1806
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
April 20, 1806 - Lewis, Meriwether
  • their children frequently wear robes of the large grey squirrel skins, those of the men and women are principally deer skins, some wolf, elk, bighorn and buffaloe; the latter they procure from the nations who sometimes visit the Missouri (Missouri River) .   
  • April 20, 1806
  • Journals
  • Lewis, Meriwether
Lewis and Clark on the Great Plains A Natural History
  • The animals were called "barking squirrels" by Captain Lewis, and prairie dogs (a rough translation of the French petite chien) by Captain Clark.
  • They were also barely surviving in the Dakotas by the turn of the twentieth century but have recovered well in those two states. Richardson's Ground Squirrel Spermophilus richardsonii FIG. 14 There is no hard evidence that Lewis and Clark discovered this fairly common Great Plains species, but it is likely that the ground squirrel they observed near the vicinity of present-day Garrison Dam on April 9, 1805, was of this species.
  • However, no clear and convincing description of the animal was provided by either Lewis or Clark. The Richardson's ground squirrel was not formally described until 1811. FIG. 14. Richardson's ground squirrel, adult ("picket-pin" posture) Drawing of Richardson's ground squirrel, adult ("picket-pin" posture) Short-tailed Shrew Blarina brevicauda Some specimens of "mice" that were shipped from Fort Mandan to President Jefferson were evidently shrews.
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • Paul A. Johnsgard
Lewis and Clark on the Great Plains A Natural History
  • Grizzly bear adult (top) and black bear adult (bottom) Drawing of an adult grizzly bear and an adult black bear Eastern Fox Squirrel Sciurus niger Captain Clark reported that the fox squirrel was seen as far as about 20 miles upstream of the Niobrara River, in what is now extreme northern Nebraska (Boyd County) or adjacent southeastern South Dakota (Charles Mix County). However, fox squirrels were evidently seen to the north, at least to the vicinity of Fort Randall, South Dakota (noted on September 8, 1804).
  • Elk, adult male Drawing of an adult male elk Gray Squirrel Sciurus carolinensis Captain Clark reported that the gray squirrel was found as far north as the mouth of the Little Sioux River, in present-day Iowa (Harrison County) or adjacent Nebraska (Burt County).
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • Paul A. Johnsgard
May 23, 1805 - Lewis, Meriwether
  • just above the entrance of Teapot Creek (CK (Teapot) Creek) on the stard. there is a large assemblage of the burrows of the Burrowing Squirrel    they generally seelect a south or a south Easterly exposure for their residence, and never visit the brooks or river for water; I am astonished how this anamal exists as it dose without water, particularly in a country like this where there is scarcely any rain during ¾ of the year and more rarely any due [dew]; yet we have sometimes found their villages at the distance of five or six miles from any water, and they are never found out of the limits of the ground which their burrows occupy; in the Autumn when the hard frosts commence they close their burrows and do not venture out again untill spring, indeed some of them appear to be yet in winter quarters.   
  • May 23, 1805
  • Journals
  • Lewis, Meriwether
May 14, 1806 - Lewis, Meriwether
  • Shannon (Shannon, George) also returned with a few pheasants and two squirrells.    we have found our stone horses so troublesome that we indeavoured to exchange them with the Chopunnish (Nez Perce Indians) for mears or gelings but they will not exchange altho' we offer 2 for one; we came to a resolution to castrate them and began the operation this evening    one of the indians present offered his services on this occasion.   
  • May 14, 1806
  • Journals
  • Lewis, Meriwether
July 3, 1806 - Clark, William
  • The site does not appear on Atlas map 68, but was some eight miles north of the party's campsite of September 7, 1805. The Columbian ground squirrel of Weippe Prarie (Weippe Prairie (Camas Flats, Quawmash Flats)) , Clearwater County (Clearwater County, Idaho) , Idaho (Idaho) .
  • July 3, 1806
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
July 6, 1806 - Lewis, Meriwether
  • Probably the Columbian ground squirrel. Longed-billed curlew, Numenius americanus [AOU, 264]. Meaning the French bois rouge, "red wood," referring to the red, woody stems of red osier dogwood, Cornus sericea L.
  • July 6, 1806
  • Journals
  • Lewis, Meriwether
August 2, 1805 - Lewis, Meriwether
  • in the course of the day they passed some villages of burrowing squirrels, saw a number of beaver dams and the inhabitants of them, many young ducks both of the Duckanmallard and the redheaded fishing duck, gees, several rattle snakes, black woodpeckers, and a large gang of Elk; they found the river much crouded with island both large and small and passed a small creek on Stard. side which we called birth Creek (Whitetail Deer (Birth) Creek) .
  • August 2, 1805
  • Journals
  • Lewis, Meriwether
Lewis and Clark on the Great Plains A Natural History
  • Lewis and Clark also discovered or carefully described for the first time at least seven Great Plains species of mammals, including the pronghorn, grizzly bear, swift fox, black-tailed prairie dog, white-tailed jackrabbit, bushy-tailed woodrat, and mule deer. The Columbian ground squirrel was first encountered, and thus discovered, in western Montana, but it was not carefully described until after the group arrived in Oregon.
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • Paul A. Johnsgard
The Journals of Lewis and Clark: Almost Home
  • For instance, we did not index the party's barking squirrels under "Squirrel, barking," but put it in its proper place under "Prairie dog."
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • Gary E. Moulton
April 14, 1805 - Lewis, Meriwether
  • near the place we dined on the Lard. side, there was a large village of burrowing squirrels. I have remarked that these anamals generally celect a South Easterly exposure for their residence, tho' they are sometimes found in the level plains.—    passed an Island, above which two small creeks fall in on Lard side; the upper creek largest, which we called Sharbono's Creek (Bear Den (Charbonneau's, Indian) Creek) after our interpreter who encamped several weeks on it with a hunting party of Indians.   
  • April 14, 1805
  • Journals
  • Lewis, Meriwether
July 6, 1806 - Clark, William
  • Atlas maps 68, 103. Again, the Columbian ground squirrel. Perhaps Nuttall's cottontail, Sylvilagus nuttallii; if so, a new species.
  • July 6, 1806
  • Journals
  • Clark, William
September 23, 1806 - Ordway, John
  • (Dolphees (Lahoocatt) Island) 37        Chyannee River (Cheyenne River) 43— 113      Teton River (Teton (Rose, Tansy) River) 47   To Cedder Island (Dorion Island No. 2 (Cedar Island)) 37   To the big bend (Missouri River, Big Bend of the) 23   To the 3 Rivers of Souix pass (Three Rivers of the Sioux Pass) 50        White River (White River) 22        Shannons Creek (Fly Creek (Shannon's River) (Yellowstone County, Mont.))   7        Island of Cedar (Dorion Island No. 2 (Cedar Island)) 45        Dome of Burrowing Squirrells 42        Poncar River (Ponca (Pania, Poncar) Creek) 20        Quicurre R (Niobrara (Quicurre, Rapid) River)   8        antient fortification 24        Calumet Bluffs (Calumet Bluff (Nebr.)) 18        River Jacque (James (Jacque) River (S.
  • September 23, 1806
  • Journals
  • Ordway, John
The Way to the Western Sea Lewis and Clark across the Continent
  • One was attached to those soft-furred, yellow-gray little rodents, relatives of the ground squirrel, that lived in immense colonies throughout the High Plains. Petit chiens, the amused viewers said—little dogs of the prairie, or prairie dogs.
  • For a moment they sat ramrod-straight on the mounds, barking shrilly—or whistling, as the captains sometimes wrote, though they also used the term "barking squirrels." Then, as the invaders neared, each chien dived out of sight into its steeply pitching tunnel.
  • After wending their way through a mile-wide colony of barking squirrels, the three hunters climbed to the top of the breaks and confronted the vastness beyond.
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • David Lavender
The Way to the Western Sea Lewis and Clark across the Continent
  • One was attached to those soft-furred, yellow-gray little rodents, relatives of the ground squirrel, that lived in immense colonies throughout the High Plains. Petit chiens, the amused viewers said—little dogs of the prairie, or prairie dogs.
  • For a moment they sat ramrod-straight on the mounds, barking shrilly—or whistling, as the captains sometimes wrote, though they also used the term "barking squirrels." Then, as the invaders neared, each chien dived out of sight into its steeply pitching tunnel.
  • After wending their way through a mile-wide colony of barking squirrels, the three hunters climbed to the top of the breaks and confronted the vastness beyond.
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • David Lavender
August 23, 1805 - Lewis, Meriwether
  • the season is now far advanced to remain in these mountains as the Indians inform us we shall shortly have snow; the salmon have so far declined that they are themselves haistening from the country and not an animal of any discription is to be seen in this difficult part of the river larger than a pheasant or a squirrel and they not abundant; add to this that our stock of provision is now so low that it would not support us more than ten days.   
  • August 23, 1805
  • Journals
  • Lewis, Meriwether
The Way to the Western Sea Lewis and Clark across the Continent
  • On the 11th and again on the 13th, the flotilla ran into numbers of gray squirrels migrating across the river from west to east, swimming lightly and making good speed, Lewis noted.
  • At his master's bidding the big, black Newfoundland jumped into the water, caught a squirrel, crunched it to death, and brought it back. "They wer fat and thought them when fryed a pleasant food."
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • David Lavender
Lewis and Clark on the Great Plains A Natural History
  • There is no published mammal list, but the white-tailed jackrabbit, thirteen-lined ground squirrel, black-tailed prairie dog, bushy-tailed woodrat, coyote, mule deer, and pronghorn all occur in this general area, to mention some of the regional mammals discovered by Lewis and Clark.
  • Mammals occurring in the area and that were evidently also seen by Lewis and Clark include the thirteen-lined and Richardson's ground squirrels, coyote, northern pocket gopher, and white-tailed jackrabbit.
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • Paul A. Johnsgard
The Way to the Western Sea Lewis and Clark across the Continent
  • Pages of his journals dealing with the Great Falls area are devoted to berries, trout, handsome yellow-fronted meadowlarks, enormous flocks of fledgling blackbirds just learning to fly, thirteen-striped ground squirrels, Rocky Mountain pack rats, prairie rattlesnakes, and the shy, small, lovely Swift foxes that lived in underground colonies like prairie dogs and are now thought to be extinct in Montana.
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • David Lavender
The Men of the Lewis & Clark Expedition The Men of the Lewis & Clark Expedition
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • Charles G. Clarke
The Way to the Western Sea Lewis and Clark across the Continent
  • N.D.
  • Texts
  • David Lavender

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