"redclay" wrote in message
...

in suburban America a great number of people put it out for the tree rats,
incorrectly called gray squirrels.

Grey squirrels are Sciurus carolinensis, ie they are squirrels. They are
not rats, they are not related to rats.

You may have a perfectly valid value judgement that places them on a par
with rats, but your value judgement does not make it incorrect to call
them gray squirrels'. There is no validity in the name 'tree rat' other
than as an epithet which has gained wide currency.
--
Kay
"Do not insult the crocodile until you have crossed the river"