THE S CLU I R R E L. 97 



him, forces him from his bed, and lies down in his place. He does the 

 fame good office for her, and continues watchful till Ihe awakes. 



Goes with young five weeks j brings from three to five; becomes 

 again pregnant immediately, fo that their multiplication is aftonifhing ; 

 fuckles about twelve or fifteen days; does not feem to know her own, 

 but fuffers the young of others to drain her, to the difadvantage of her 

 own offspring ; are produced Avith the eyes open, and in about twelve 

 hours equal the dam in agility ; fhe has but two teats, yet plenty of 

 milk ; they feed on vegetables very early ; they contend for the mod 

 agreeable food, or the warmed place, \cty obftinately. Their manner 

 of eating is fomething like the rabbit j they appear alfo to chew the 

 cud 5 they feldom drink, yet make water every minute ; they grunt 

 fomewhat like a young pig ; and exprefs pain by a more piercing note j 

 their flefh is indifferent food. 



THE SQ^UIRREL. 



FEW wild animals have fo many varieties as the fquirrel. The 

 common fquirrel is of a reddilh brown j belly and bread are white* 

 ears beautifully ornamented with long tufts of hair, of a deeper colour 

 than the body ; eyes large, black and lively j legs are fhort and 

 mufcular, like thofc of the rabbit j the toes longer, and claws Iharper, 

 fit for climbing. When eating, or drefling itfeif, fits ered, like the hare 

 or rabbit, ufing its fore-legs as hands j chiefly refides in trees. 



The gr^ Virginian Jquirrel is larger than a rabbit ; greyilh body and 

 limbs thicker than the common fquirrel 3 ears (horter, without tufts ; 

 upper part of the body, and external part of the legs, a fine whitifh grey, 

 with a beautiful red ftreak on each fide lengthways ; tail covered with 

 very long grey hair, variegated with black and white towards the ex- 

 tremity j feems to be common to both continents; in Sweden changes 

 colour in winter. 



The Barbary fquirrel is a mixed colour, between red and black. 

 Along the fides are white and brown lines, very beautiful ; the belly a 

 fky blue, furrounded with white. Some of thefe hold the tail ered ; 

 others throw it forward over their body. 



T\\t Siberian ivhiie Jquirrel in fize equals a common fquirrel. The 

 Carolina black fquirrel is much bigger, fometimes tipt with white at all 



No. 23. S the 



