370 INDEX. 



ful or noxious qualities of every spring, i. 148. One men- 

 tioned by Derham, which he never perceived to be dimi- 

 nished in the greatest drought, when all ponds in the coun- 

 try were dry for several months, 171. 



Squash, a stinkard of the weasel kind, called a polecat of 

 America ; its description ; is said to eat only the brains of 

 poultry ; its scent strong enough to reach half a mile round ; 

 near hand, almost stifling ; a drop of the fetid discharge 

 falling into the eye, might blind it for ever ; dogs abate their 

 artlour when they meet the fetid discharge, turn, and leave 

 the squash master of the field, never to be led on again ; 

 cows and oxen strongly affected by the stench, and pro- 

 visions spoiled by it ; with planters and native Americans, 

 kept tame about their houses ; seldom emitting disagreeable 

 scents, except when injured or frighted; natives eat the 

 flesh, taking care to clear it of the offensive glands, iii. 94. 



Squinting, many instances of squinting communicated by a 

 father to his offspring, ii. 95. 



Squirrel, the tails are extremely long, beautiful, and bushy, 

 and serve them for several purposes ; particularly in vast 

 leaps of one hundred yards taken from tree to tree ; when 

 the animal eats, or dresses itself, it sits erect, like the hare 

 or rabbit, making use of its fore-feet as hands ; the kind has 

 as many varieties as any wild animal ; enumeration of some ; 

 its way of moving is by bounds ; when tamed, is apt to break 

 away at every opportunity ; few animals so tender, or so un- 

 fit for a change of abode ; some live on the tops of trees, 

 others feed on vegetables below, where also they take shel- 

 ter in storms ; description of its qualities, food, and mansion; 

 the nest formed among large branches, where they fork off 

 into small ; the martin destroys the squirrel, then takes pos- 

 session of its mansion, iii. 141. 



Squirrels are in heat early in the spring ; very diverting to see 

 the female then feigning an escape from the pursuit of two 

 or three males ; time of gestation ; keeps in the midst of the 

 tallest trees, and shuns the habitation of men; the tree but 

 touched at bottom, they quit the nest, and fly to another tree, 

 thus travelling with ease along the tops of the forest, until 

 quite out of danger ; in Lapland, vast numbers remove from 

 one part to another ; method of crossing broad rivers, or ex- 

 tensive lakes ; they have a sharp piercing note, and another* 

 more like the purring of the cat when pleased ; the Lap- 

 landers eat their flesh ; description of the common sort, and 

 of the grey Virginian kind; the Barbary ; Siberian white ; 

 Carolina black ; Brazilian ; little ground Carolina, and New 

 Spain squirrel ; flying squirrel more common in America 

 than in Europe; its food, and mansion, iii. 147, &c. 



Stag, first in rank among quadrupeds ; its elegant form de- 

 scribed ; no obvious difference between the internal struc- 



