48 THE PESTS OF THE FARM. 



The ground squirrel is rather more than five inches in length, 

 from the nose to the root of the tail ; the last is about two inches 

 and n half long. The general color of the head and upper parts 

 of the body is reddish brown, all the hairs on these parts being 

 gray at base. The eyelids are whitish, and from the external 

 angle of each eye a black line runs towards the ear, while on each 

 cheek there ia a reddish brown line. The short rounded ears are 

 covered with fine hairs, which are on the outside of a reddish 

 brown color, and within of a whitish gray. The upper part of the 

 neck, shoulders, and base of the hair on the back, are of a gray 

 brown, mingled with whitish. 



On the back there are five longitudinal black bands, which are 

 at their posterior parts bordered slightly with red. The middle 

 one begins at the back of the head, the two lateral ones on the 

 shoulders ; they all terminate at the rump, whose color is reddish. 

 On each side two white separate the lateral black bands. The 

 lower part of the flanks and sides of the neck are of a paler 

 red ; the exterior of the fore feet is of a grayish yellow ; the thighs 

 and hind feet are red above. The upper lip, the chin, throat, 

 oelly, and internal face of the limbs are of a dirty brown. The 

 tail is reddish at its base, blackish below, and has an edging of 

 black. 



The ground squirrel is sadly injurious to corn or grain fields, 

 just planted or sown, when the fields are near woods. The squir- 

 rel digs up the grain, and renders planting or sowing again ne- 

 cessary. 



The gun is the main means for the destruction of the various 

 squirrels. 



RATS, MICE, AND THEIR KIND. 



WE have hitherto been discussing subjects, presenting rather a 

 doubtful aspect, as affording the possibility of the query arising as 

 to the positive or actual title which they hold to rank amongst the 

 "Pests " of " the Farm." The present article is designed to em- 

 brace an inquiry into the character of a class of animals relative to 

 which no possible mistake can exist, a class of animals whose dep- 

 redations are universally felt animals noxious to all, and possessed 

 of no single redeeming quality which can elicit the defence of any 

 one advocate. As to extermination meaning extirpation, that is an 

 end that, even with the greatest assiduity on the part of man, it 

 would be next to hopeless to expect to arrive at ; none will question 



