250 November 1748. 



BUT thefe little animals do coniiderable da* 

 mage to the maize, not only whilft it is upon the 

 ftalk, as I have before obferved, but even when 

 it is brought home into the barns : for if they 

 can come at it without any obftacle, they can in 

 a few nights bring a whole bumel away into their 

 lurking holes. The government, in moft of trie 

 North American colonies, has therefore been o- 

 bliged to offer a certain premium to be paid out of 

 the common treafury, for the head of a fquirrel. It 

 feems inconceivable what a fum of money has 

 been paid for grey and black fquirrels heads, in 

 the province of Pettjghania only, from the firft of 

 'January 1 749, to the firfl of January 1750; forwhen 

 the deputies from the feveral diftricls of the pro- 

 vince met, in order to deliberate upon the affairs 

 of the province, each of them complained that 

 their treafuries were exhaufted by paying fo much 

 for fquirrels ; for at that time the law had ap- 

 pointed a reward of three pence for each fquir- 

 rel's head. So far extended the vengeance taken 

 upon thefe little creatures, i. e. upon the grey 

 and black fquirrels. It was found, by cafting up 

 accounts, that in that one year eight thoufand 

 pounds of Penjyhania currency had been expend- 

 ed in paying thefe rewards : this I was affured of 



pitiful noife, and arefo bafy in running, up and down the tree and 

 the neighbouring branches, in order to draw off the attention of 

 the fnake from their brood, and often they come fo very near in 

 order to flyaway again, that being within reach of the fnakes, they 

 are at laft bit, poifoned, and devoured ; and this will, I believe, 

 perfectly account for the powers of fafcinating birds and fmall 

 creatures in the fnakes. F. 



by 



