THE HARE KIND. 



353 



branches of a great tree, where they begin to 

 fork off in small ones. After choosing the 

 place where the timber begins to decay, and 

 an hollow may the more easily be formed, 

 the squirrel begins by making a kind of a 

 level between the forks ; and then bringing 

 moss, twigs, and dry leaves, it binds them to- 

 gether with great art, so as to resist the most 

 violent storm. This is covered up on all 

 sides; and has but a single opening at top, 

 which is just large enough to admit the little 

 animal ; and this opening is itself defended 

 from the weather by a kind of canopy, made 

 in the fashion of a cone, so that it throws off 

 the rain, though never so heavy. The nest 

 thus formed, with a very little opening above, 

 is, nevertheless, very commodious and roomy 

 below ; soft, well knit together, and every way 

 convenient and warm. In this retreat the 

 little animal brings forth its young, shelters 

 itself from the scorching heat of the sun, 

 which it seems to fear, and from the storms 

 and inclemency of winter, which it is still less 

 capable of supporting. Its provision of nuts 

 and acorns is seldom in its nest, but in the 

 hollows of the tree, laid up carefully together, 

 and never touched but in cases of necessity. 

 Thus one single tree serves for a retreat and 

 a store-house; and without leaving it during 

 the winter, the squirrel possesses all those en- 

 joyments that its nature is capable of receiv- 

 ing. But it sometimes happens that its little 

 mansion is attacked by a deadly and power- 

 ful foe. The martin goes often in quest of a 

 retreat for its young, which it is incapable of 

 making for itself; for this reason it fixes upon 

 the nest of a squirrel, and, with double injus- 

 tice, destroys the tenant, and then takes pos- 

 session of the mansion. 



However, this is a calamity that but seldom 

 happens: and, of all other animals, the squir- 

 rel leads the most frolicsome, playful life, 

 being surrounded with abundance, and having 

 few enemies to fear. They are in heat ear- 

 ly in the spring ; when, as a modern natural- 

 ist says," it is very diverting to see the female 

 feigning an escape from the pursuit of two or 

 three males, and to observe the various proofs 

 which they give of their agility, which is then 

 exerted in full force. Nature seems to have 



British Zoology. 



been particular in her formation of these ani- 

 mals for propagation: however, they seldom 

 bring forth above four or five young at a time; 

 and that but once a year. The time of their 

 gestation seems to be about six weeks; they 

 are pregnant in the beginning of April, and 

 bring forth about the middle of May. 



The squirrel is never found in the open 

 fields, nor yet in copses or underwoods ; it 

 always keeps in the midst of the tallest trees, 

 and, as much as possible, shuns the habita- 

 tions of men. It is extremely watchful ; if the 

 tree in which it resides be but touched at the 

 bottom, the squirrel instantly takes the alarm, 

 quits its nest, at once flies off to another tree, 

 and thus travels, with great ease, along the 

 tops of the forest, until it finds itself perfect- 

 ly out of danger. In this manner it continues 

 for some hours at a distance from home, un- 

 til the alarm be past away ; and then it re- 

 turns, by paths, that to all quadrupeds but 

 itself, are utterly impassable. Its usual way 

 of moving is by bounds; these it takes from 

 one tree to another, at forty feet distance; 

 and if at any time it is obliged to descend, it 

 runs up the side of the next tree with ama- 

 zing facility. It has an extremely sharp pier- 

 cing note, which most usually expresses pain; 

 it has another, more like the purring of a cat, 

 which it employs when pleased ; at least it 

 appeared so in that from whence I have ta- 

 ken a part of this description. 



In Lapland, and the extensive forests to the 

 north, the squirrels are observed to change 

 their habitation, and to remove in vast num- 

 bers from one country to another. In these 

 migrations they are generally seen by thou- 

 sands, travelling directly forward ; while nei- 

 ther rocks, forests, nor even the broadest wa- 

 ters can stop their progress. What I am 

 going to relate, appears so extraordinary, that 

 were it not attested by numbers of the most 

 credible historians, among whom are Klein 

 and Linnaeus, it might be rejected, with that 

 Bcorn with which we treat imposture or credu- 

 lity : however, nothing can be more true than, 

 that when these animals, in their progress, 

 meet with broad rivers, or extensive lakes, 

 which abound in Lapland, they take a very 

 extraordinary method of crossing them. Up- 

 on approaching the banks, and perceiving the 

 breadth of the water, they return, as if by com- 



