318 NATURAL HISTORY. 



We have very little information with regard to th* 

 grey squirrel. Fernandez says, that the grey, or 

 blackish squirrel of America, dwells commonly upon 

 trees, particularly pines ; that he feeds upon fruits 

 and seeds ; that he lays up store for the winter, in 

 some hollow tree, whither, he retires during that sea- 

 son : the grey squirrel also differs from the others in 

 making his nest at the top of trees like birds. 



THE PALM SQUIRREL, 



AXD THOSE OF BARBARY AND SWITZERLAND. 



THE palm squirrel is as large as a rat, or a small 

 squirrel. He lives upon the palm trees, from which he 

 takes his name : Some call him the palmist rat, and 

 others the palm-tree squirrel ; and as he is neither of 

 the species of a rat nor a squirrel, we shall call him 

 palmist. His head is very near of the same form as 

 that of the short tailed field mouse, and covered with, 

 rough hair : his long tail does not lie on the ground 

 like that of the rat ; he carries it erect vertically, with- 

 out, however, laying' it on his body, as the squirrel ; 

 it is covered with hair longer than that of his body, 

 but much shorter than the hair of the squirrel's tail : 

 his back is variegated with white and brown stripes, 

 which distinguish the palmist from all other animals, 

 except the squirrels of Barbary arid Switzerland. 



With respect to the squirrel of Barbary, as he is of 

 the same continent, and of the same climate, of tlie 

 same size, and very near the same form as the pal- 

 mist, one should be inclined tg think, that they are 

 both of the same species, with some variety ; yet thera 



