ARTICLE LVII. — On the several species of Squirrels inhah- 



iting the British Provinces, 



Description of the Genus. 



GENUS SCIURUS. — Linn., Krxleb., Cuv., Geoff., Illiger. 



Dental Formula. 



Incisive^ | ; Canine^ g — g ; Molar | — | or | — J = 20 or 22. 



Body elongated ; tail long and furnislied with hairs ; head 

 large; ears erect; eyes projecting and brilliant; upper lip divided. 

 Four toes before, with a tubercle covered by a blunt nail ; five 

 toes behind. The four grinders, on each side the mouth above 

 and beneath, are variously tuberculated ; a very small additional 

 one in front, above, is in some species permanent, but in most 

 cases drops out when the young have attained the age of from six 

 to twelve weeks. Mammje, eight ; two pectoral, the others ab- 

 dominal. 



The squirrel is admirably adapted to a residence on trees, for 

 which nature has designed it. Its fingers are long, slender and 

 deeply cleft, and its nails very acute and greatly compressed; it is 

 enabled to leap from branch to branch, and from tree to tree, 

 clinging to the smallest twigs, and seldom missing its hold. When 

 this happens to be the case, it has an instinctive habit of graspincr 

 in its descent at the first object which may present itself, or if 

 about to fall to the earth, it spreads itself out in the manner of 

 the flying squirrel, and thus by presenting a greater resistance to 

 the air, is enabled to reach the ground without injury, and recover 

 itself so instantaneously, that it often escapes the teeth of the dog 

 that watches its descent, and stands ready to seize upon it at the 

 moment of its fall. It immediately ascends a neighbouring tree, 

 emitting very frequently a querulous bark, which is either a note 

 of fear or of triumph. 



Although the squirrel moves with considerable activity on the 

 ground, it rather runs than leaps ; on trees, however, its activity 

 and agility are surprising, and it is generally able to escape from 

 its enemies, and conceal itself in a few moments, either among 

 the thick foliage, in its nest, or in a hollow tree. The squirrel 

 usually conveys its food to the mouth by the fore-paws. Nuts, 

 and seeds of all kinds, are held by it between the rudimental 

 thumbs and the inner portions of the palms. When disturbed or 

 alarmed, it either drops the nut and makes a rapid retreat, or seiz- 

 es it with the incisors, and carries it to its hole or nest. 



