LOUISIANA. 361 



Here is likewife an animal, which they call the 

 wood-cat •, it is of the fize of a fox, and nothing 

 but its tail is like that of a car. This creature 

 is very fond of oyfters -, it refembles a' marmot 

 in its figure ; and may be tamed like a dog, 

 licking and fawning upon its m after, whom it 

 follows every where •, it takes its food with its 

 paws, like a monkey. I believe thefe were the 

 dumb dogs which the Spaniards found, when they 

 difcovered the Antilles or Caribee iQands.* 



There are four forts of fquirrels in Louifiana ; 

 large, black, red, grey, and little ones of the 

 fize of little rats ; the latter are called flying 

 fquirrels, on account of a membrane which joins 

 their four legs, and which they extend in jump- 

 ing from one tree to. another.f 



The French and the Indians have often told me 

 that the fnakes have the power of fafcinating 



fquir- 



:<= This animal here called ^ood-cat is common all over the 

 Britifh colonies in America, and known by the name of Rac- 

 coouy fee Penn Syn. quad, p. 199. Vrfus lufcus. Lipn. and 

 3CaWs Travels into North America, vol. i. t. 2, p. 96, 

 208. F. * 



f Black fquirrel, fciurus niger. hmn, — red fqulrrely?/«r«/ 

 Jiriatus. Linn.— grey fquirrel, fciurus cinereus, Linn. — flying 

 iquirrel, fciurus njolans* Linn, F. 



