NATURAL HISTORY. 





species of pine, and is always found 

 iu tlie pine country. 



Tiie ground-squirrel is found 

 in e^■ery part of this country^ as 

 well ill the prairies as in the wood- 

 lands, and is one of the few ani- 

 mals whicii we have seen in every 

 part of our journey, and diBFers 

 in no respect from those of tlie 

 United States. 



Theie is still another species, 

 denominated by Captain Lewis, 

 the barking squirrel, found in the 

 plains of tiie JNIissoiui. This ani- 

 mal commonly weighs tliree 

 pomids : the colour is a iniiform 

 brigltt brick red and grey, and 

 the former predominates : the 

 under side of the neck and be'dy 

 are lighter than the other parts of 

 the botly : the legs are short, and 

 the breast and slioulders wide : 

 the head is stout and muscular, 

 and terminates more bluntly, 

 wider, and flatter than that of the 

 common squirrel : the e«rs are 

 short, and have the aopenranoe of 

 amputation : the jaw is furnislied 

 ■with a pouch to contain his food, 

 but not so large as that of the 

 common squirrel : the nose is 

 armed w ith whiskers on each side, 

 and a few long liairs aie inserted 

 on each jaw, and directly over the 

 eyes : the eye is small and black : 

 each foot has {i\'e toes, and the 

 two outer ones are nnich shoiter 

 than those in the centre. I'he 

 two inner toes of the foic feet are 

 long, sharp, and well adajitod to 

 digging and scratching. Fiom 

 the e\trcmi;y of the nose to the 

 end of the tail thisanimal measures 

 one foot and fi\ e inches, of which 

 the tail occupies four inches. 

 Notwithstanding the clumsir.e.-s 

 of his form, he is rcmarliahly ac- 

 tive, and !;e burrows in the ground 



with great I'apidity. These ani- 

 mals bunow and reside in their 

 little subterraneous villages like 

 the burrowing squirrel. To these 

 apartments, although six or eight 

 usually associate together, tliere 

 is but one entrance. They are of 

 great deptli, and ( aptain Lewis 

 once pursued one to the depth of 

 ten feet, and did not reach the 

 end of the bun-ow. They occupy, 

 in this manner, several htmdred 

 acres of ground, and when at 

 rest their position is genei'aliy 

 erect on their hinder feet and 

 i-ump : they sit with much confi- 

 dence, and bark at the intruder 

 as he approaches, with a fretful 

 and harmless intrepi;!ity. The 

 note resembles that of the little 

 toy-dog: the yelps are in quick 

 and angry succession, attended by 

 rapid and convulsive motions, as 

 if tliey were deteimined to sally 

 forth in defence of their freehold. 

 They feed on the grass of their 

 village, the limits of which they 

 never venture to exceed. As soon 

 as the frost commences, they shut 

 themselves up in their caverns, 

 and continue till the spring opens. 

 The ilesh of this animal is not un- 

 pkasant to the taste. 



] 7 . 8ev. eilel is a name given by 

 the natives to a small animal 

 foimd in tiie timbei'ed country on 

 this coast. It is more abundant 

 in the licighbo'arhood of the (ireat 

 Falls and IJapids of the Colum- 

 bia, than on tiie coa;t wjiiih ^ve 

 inhabit. 



'I'he natives make great use of 

 the skins of this animal in form- 

 ing their robes, which tbcy dres.s 

 with the fur on, an<l attacii them 

 together with sinews of the elk or 

 deer : the akin when dres.^ed, is 

 from fourteen to eighteen inches 



long. 



