364 HUNTING ADVENTURES. 



can yield very little amusement or satisfaction to its keeper, whom 

 it always flies, or bites severely if not permitted to get out of hia 

 reach. 



The ground squirrel is rather more than five inches in length 

 from the nose to the root of the tail ; the last is about two inchea 

 and a half long. The general color of the head and upper parts 

 of the body is reddish brown, all the hairs an these parts being 

 gray at the base. The eyelids are whitish, and frorr. the external 

 angle of each eye a black line runs towards the ear. while on each 

 cheek there is a reddish brown line. The short rounded ears are 

 covered with fine hairs, which are on the outside of a reddish 

 brown color, and within of a whn ; sh gray. The upper part of 

 the neck, shoulders, and base of the hair on the back, are of a gray 

 brown, mingled with whitish. 



On the back there are five longitudinal black hands, which are 

 at their posterior parts bordered slightly with red. The middle 

 one begins at the back of the head, the two lateral ones on the 

 shoulders ; they all terminate at the rump, whose color is reddish 

 On each side two white separate the lateral black bands. The 

 lower part of the flanks and sides of the neck are of a paler red , 

 the exterior of the fore feet is of a grayish yellow ; the thighs and 

 hind /eet are red above. The upper lip, the chin, throat, belly, 

 and internal face of the limbs, are of a dirty brown. The tail is 

 redtlish. at its base, blackish below, and has an edging of black. 



The sportsman regards the ground squirrel as good but not 

 extra game. The flesh is very good for the table; but is inferior 

 to that of the more lively gray squirrel. They are occasionally shot 

 at, but more frequently snared while they are collecting their food 

 for winter use. 



The Flying Squirrel is very common throughout the United 

 States. Nature has endowed them with instruments to facilitate 

 their passage from place to place in the easiest and most pleasant 

 manner. Capable of moving on the bodies and limbs of trees, like 

 other squirrels, it does not require an equal degree of muscular 

 strength to.leap from tree to tree, or from great elevations to the 

 ground, but launching itself from a lofty bough into the air, and 



