354 



ANIMALS OF 



raon consent, into the neighbouring forest, 

 each in quest of a piece of bark, which answers 

 all the purposes of boats for wafting them over. 

 When the whole company are fitted in this 

 manner, they boldly commit their little fleet to 

 the waves ; every squirrel sitting on its own 

 piece of bark, and fanning the air with its tail, 

 to drive the vessel to its desired port. In this 

 orderly manner they set forward, and often 

 cross lakes several miles broad. But it too 

 often happens that the poor mariners are not 

 aware of the dangers of their navigation ; for 

 although at the edge of the water it is generally 

 calm, in the midst it is always more turbulent. 

 There the slightest additional gust of wind 

 oversets the little sailor and his vessel together. 

 The whole navy, that but a few minutes before 

 rode proudly and securely along, is now over- 

 turned, and a shipwreck of two or three 

 thousand sail ensues. This, which is so un- 

 fortunate for the little animal, is generally the 

 most lucky accident in the world for the Lap- 

 lander on the shore ; who gathers up the dead 

 bodies as they are thrown in by the waves, 

 eats the flesh, and sells the skins for about a 

 shilling the dozen.' 



The squirrel is easily tamed, and it is then 

 a very familiar animal. It loves to lie warm, 

 and will often creep into a man's pocket or his 

 bosom. It is usually kept in a box, and fed 

 with hazel nuts. Some find amusement in 

 observing with what ease it bites the nut open 

 and eats the kernel. In short, it is a pleasing 

 pretty little domestic ; and its tricks and habi- 

 tudes may serve to entertain a mind unequal 

 to stronger operations. 



THE FLYING SQUIRREL. 



Mr. RAY was justly of opinion that the Fly- 

 ing Squirrel might more properly be said to 

 be of the rat kind, because its fur is shorter 

 than in other squirrels, and its colours also 

 more nearly approach the former. However, 

 as mankind have been content to class it 

 among the squirrels, it is scarcely worth mak- 

 ing a new distinction in its favour. This 

 little animal, which is frequently brought over 

 to England, is less than a common squirrel and 

 bigger than a field mouse. Its skin is very 



Oeuvres de Regnard. 



soft, and elegantly adorned with a dnrk fur in 

 some places, and li^ht gray in others. It has 

 large prominent black and very sparkling eyes, 

 small ears, and very sharp teeth, with which 

 it gnaws any thing quickly. When it does 

 not leap, its tail, which is pretty enough, lies 

 close to its back ; but when it takes its spring, 

 the tail is moved backwards and forwards 

 from side to side. It is said to partake some- 

 what of the nature of the squirrel, of the rat, 

 and of the dormouse ; but that in which it is 

 distinguished from all other animals, is its pe- 

 culiar conformation for taking those leaps that 

 almost look like flying. It is, indeed, amazing 

 to see it at one bound dart above a hundred 

 yards from one tree to another. They are 

 assisted in this spring by a very peculiar forma- 

 tion of the skin that extends from the fore-feet 

 to the hinder ; so that when the animal 

 stretches its fore-legs forward and its hind-legs 

 backward, this skin is spread out between 

 them, somewhat like that between the legs of 

 a bat. The surface of the body being thus in- 

 creased, the little animal keeps buoyant in the 

 air until the force of its first impulsion is ex- 

 pired, and then it descends. This skin, when 

 the creature is at rest, or walking, continues 

 wrinkled upon its sides ; but when its limbs 

 are extended, it forms a kind of web between 

 them of above an inch broad on either side, 

 and gives the whole body the appearance of 

 a skin floating in the air. In this manner the 

 flying squirrel changes place, not like a bird, 

 by repeated strokes of its wings, but rather 

 like a paper kite, supported by the expansion 

 of the surface of its body ; but with this differ- 

 ence, however, that, being naturally heavier 

 than the air, instead of mounting it descends ; 

 and that jump, which upon the ground would 

 not be above forty yards, when from a higher 

 tree to a lower may be above a hundred. 



This little animal is more common in 

 America than in Europe, but not very com- 

 monly to be seen in either. It is usually found, 

 like the squirrel, on the, tops of trees; but, 

 though better fitted for leaping, it is of a more 

 torpid disposition, and is seldom seen to exert 

 its powers ; so that it is often seized by the 

 polecat and the martin. It is easily tamed, 

 but apt to break away whenever it finds an 

 opportunity. It does not seem fond of nuts or 

 almonds, like other squirrels, hut is chiefly 

 pleased with the sprouts of the birch, and the 



