128 The Natural History 



Fields. The flesh is sweet and good like that of Goats or 

 Bahhets. 



The small Gray-Squirrel is much of the same nature and 

 bigness with those in England, there being only some small 

 difference in the colour. They feed like the former on Corn 

 and iSTuts, &c. and like the Bear, are never found with Young, 

 neither are they to be met with in Winter, but lie in the 

 hollow Trees during that Season: Their Flesh eats rather 

 better than the former. The Fat of these Squirrels is Emol- 

 lient, and good against Pains in the Ears, and the Teeth, are 

 said to be used by Magicians in foretelling things to come. 



The Flying- Squirrel is of a light dun Colour, or Gray, like 

 the former, but much smaller than any of the other two. It 

 has no Wings (like a Bird or Bat) only a fine thin Skin cov- 

 ered with Hair, as the rest of the Parts are. This is from 

 the Fore-feet to the Hinder-feet, which they puff full of 

 Wind at pleasure ; and this buoys them up, that they will fly 

 with incredible swiftness, and at greater Distances than any 

 other kinds of Squirrels do, by their jumping or springing. 

 They lay in a sufficient Store of Provisions for the Winter, 

 which are generally ISTuts, Corn, and several sorts of Fruits. 

 They are a tender Creature, lie very warm in their Nests 

 (which are made of fine Down) not appearing all the ^V inter, 

 being unable to beai* the Cold and severit}^ of the Weather, 

 and generally half a dozen or more lie together in one Nest, 

 which is always in a hollow Tree, and have their Stores of 

 Provisions near them, whereon they feed during the cold 

 Weather. They are easily made tame, but Enc mies to Corn- 

 fields (as all the other Squirrels are) and only eat the germi- 

 nating Eye or Bud of the Grain, which is very sweet. The 

 Flesh of this Squirrel is as good as any of the former. 



The 



