NATURAL HISTORY. *5) 



very generally diffused, but there are few or none of 

 them in England. 



THE GARDEN SQUIRREL. 



THE fat squirrel frequents the forests, and seems to 

 shun our habitations. The garden squirrel, or greater 

 dormouse on the contrary, inhabits our gardens, and 

 is sometimes in our houses. The species of the latter 

 is also more numerous and more generally diffused. 



These animals nestle in the holes of walls, climb up 

 trees, select the best fruits, and gnaw them as they 

 begin to ripen. They climb up pear, apricot, and 

 other trees ; and in a scarcity of other fruit, they eat 

 almonds, nuts, and even leguminous roots. These 

 they carry in great quantities to their holes, where 

 they make a bed of herbs, moss, and leaves. The 

 cold stupefies, the heat revives them ; and sometimes 

 there are eight or ten found in one place, all in a state 

 of torpor, all huddled together, and rolled up in a ball, 

 in the midst of their hoard of provisions. 



Their flesh is not palatable, and has even the disa* 

 greeable smell of the house rat. 



This animal is to be found in all the temperate cli- 

 mates of Europe, and even in Poland, and in Prussia ; 

 but it, doas not appear that there are any in Sweden, 

 or in any of the more northern countries. 



THE DORMOUSE. 



OF all the rat species, the dormouse is the least ug- 

 ly. Its eyes are sparkling, its tail is tufted, ami its 



