136 MAMMALIA. 



SciuRuS; Lin. 



Squirrels are distinguished by their strongly compressed inferior 

 incisors, and by their long tail furnished with hairs. They have four 

 toes before, and five behind. The thumb of the fore foot is some- 

 times mai-ked by a tubercle. They have in all four grinders, vari- 

 ously tuberculated, and a very small additional one above in front, 

 that very soon falls. The head is large, and the eyes projecting and 

 lively. They are light and active animals, living on trees, and feed- 

 ing on fruits. 



SciURus, Cuv. 



In the Squirrel, properly so called, the hairs of the tail are ar- 

 ranged on the sides, so as to resemble a feather. There are a great 

 many species in the tw^o continents. 



Sc. vulgaris, Buff. VII, xxxii, Schreb. pi. 212. (The Common 

 Squirrel.) The back of a lively red; belly white j ears 

 terminated by a tuft of hair. Those of the north, in winter, 

 become of a beautiful bluish ash colour, producing the fur 

 called minever when taken only from the back, and vair (by the 

 French) when it consists of the whole skin. 



The American species have no pencils to their ears. Such 

 are 



Sc. cinereuSy L. ; Petit-Gris, of Buff. X, xxv. (The Grey 

 Squirrel of Carolina.) Larger than that of Europe; ash co- 

 loured, with a white belly. Sec Append. VIII of Am. Ed. 



Sc. capistratus, Bosc.;(l) Sc. cinereus, Schreb. CCXIII, B. 

 (The Masked Squirrel.) Ash coloured; head black; muzzle, 

 ears and belly white. Both these species vary in being more 

 or less brown 'they are sometimes entirely black. (2) 



The greater number of the species belonging to the eastern 

 continent are also destitute of these pencils. One of the most 

 beautiful is the 



Sc. maximus and macrourus,{o) Gm.; Buff. Supp. VII, Ixxii. 

 (The Large Squirrel of India.) Nearly the size of a Cat ; above 

 black ; the flanks and top of the head of a beautiful bright ma- 

 ronne; the head, and all the under parts of the body, and the 



(1) See Append. VIII for some observations on our author's arrangement of the 

 American Squirrels. Jim. Ed. 



(2j The Sc. vulpinus, the carolinensis, and the niger appear to be mere varieties 

 of this species. {See Append. VIII of Jim. Ed.] 



(3) A comparison of the figure of Pennant with tliat of Sonnerat is suflRcIent to 

 prove that they represent the same animal. 



