of North Carolina. 129 



The Ground 8qi(irr<?l, ^o calletl, because they sehlom de- 

 light in running up Trees, or leaping from Branch to Branch, 

 as the other Squirrels do. They are the smallest of all Squir- 

 rels, being not much bigger than a large Mou^e, and their 

 Tails are not so long or bushy as the former, but more flattish. 

 They are of a reddish colour, and finely striped down each 

 side with black Rows like the young Fawns, which make 

 them very beautiful ; they may be kept tame in a little Box 

 with Cotton in it, because these as well as the Flying-Squir- 

 rels never stir or appear abroad in the Winter, being a very 

 tender Animal, and not able to bear the Cold. These have 

 much the same Virtues and Uses with the other sorts of 

 Squirrels. 



The Weesel is likewise to be met with here, but not so com- 

 mon as in some parts of Europe; I see no manner of differ- 

 ence between them in shape, colour, or bigness. It is very 

 strange what some Writers have said of the Generation and 

 Conception of this Animal, who confidently assure us, that 

 they Ingender at the Ear, and bring forth their Young at the 

 Mouth. Pliny reporteth, that when they encounter and fight 

 with Rats, they use Rue as a preservative against their Bite. 

 The Parts of this Animal are good in Fevers, Gouts, and 

 Pains of the Joints, Head-aches, Falling-sickness, Epilepsies, 

 and many other Disorders. 



There are four sorts of Rats in this Province, viz. the 

 Mush, the Marsh, the Water, and the House-Rat. 



The Mush-Rat is partly of the colour of a Rahhet, and is 

 in all things shaped like our 'Water-Rat, only something 

 larger, and has Hair or Down upon it's Tail, longer than the 

 former. It frequents the Marshes near the Eresh-Water 

 Streams (as the Beavers do) and no where else, and builds 

 in the Marshes, having three lodging Rooms, one higher than 

 the other, very neat and finely daubed within, where it lies 



9 R drv 



