NATURAL HISTORY. 241 



neither handsome nor fit to be tamed. The white 

 squirrel of Siam ; the grey, and spotted squirrel of* 

 Bengal ; the streaked squirrel of Canada ; the black 

 squirrel ; the large grey Virginian squirrel ; the white 

 striped squirrel of New Spain; the white Siberian 

 squirrel ; the variegated squirrel ; the little American 

 squirrel; that of Brazil; that of Barbary ; the palmist, 

 &c. form so many species distinct from that which we 

 have described. 



THE RAT. 



IF we descend by degrees from the great to the 

 small, from the strong to the weak, we shall find, that 

 Nature, attentive only to the preservation of each 

 species, creates a profusion of individuals, and is sup- 

 ported by the numbers which she has formed of a di- 

 minutive size, and to which she has denied weapons, 

 strength, and courage. 



Under the generical name of rat, several species of 

 small animals have been comprised. This name we 

 shall solely appropriate to the common rat, which is. 

 of a dark colour, and infects our houses. Each of the 

 other species shall have its particular denomination ; 

 for as neither of them couple together, each is different 

 from all the rest. 



Vl I, Gg 



