108 THE SQUIRREL. 



Lincolnshire, are the counties in England where rab- 

 bits most abound. 



THE SQUIRREL. 



The squirrel in form resembles the rabbit, though 

 with shorter ears and a different tail, which is extremely 

 long, bushy, and beautiful, and serves as an umbrella 

 to protect it from the injuries of heat and cold ; and, 

 when extended, assists it in its rapid bounds. 



So great is the variety in this animal, that in an 

 abridgment it is impossible to give an account of them 

 all ; we shall, therefore, confine ourselves to the de- 

 scription of the common squirrel, which is less than a 

 rabbit, and rather more of a reddish brown, though 

 the breast and belly are delicately white : the ears are 

 ornamented with a tuft of hair, deeper 'in colour than 

 that upon the back ; the eyes are large, black, and 

 lively ; the legs are short, like those of a rabbit, but 

 with rather sharper claws. 



This beautiful little animal, though in its nature wild, 

 is gentle and harmless in its ways ; its usual food is 

 fruit, nuts, and acorns, which it eats erected upon its 

 hinder legs, whilst its fore-paws answer the purpose of 

 hands. Prom its agility and lightness, it seems to ap- 

 proach the nature of birds, and will easily bound from 

 one tree to another at the distance of thirty or forty 

 Teet. Provident and sagacious in the time of plenty, 

 it always takes care to lay in a good supply of winter's 

 store ; and in the hollow of the same tree wherein it 

 builds its nest, it secures a future support both for it- 

 self and young. The nest is generally formed amongst 

 the upper branches of a large tree, composed of moss, 

 twigs, and dried leaves, so completely combined toge- 



