SCIURIDJE. MAMMALIA. SCIURID.E. 



131 



the winter the fur becomes somewhat lighter, or of a 

 greyish tint. The female produces four or five young 

 at a birth, and rears them in a carefully constructed 

 nest. This is formed of vegetable fibres, moss, leaves, 

 &c., and is usually lodged between the fork of two 

 or more branches, so as to be concealed from view ; 

 in some instances the nest is made in the hollow of 

 a tree. 



THE HUDSON'S BAY SQUIRREL (Sciurus Hudso- 

 nius) is found in the white spruce forests of Canada, 

 and the northern parts of the United States. In the 

 latter country it goes by the name of the Chickaree, on 

 account of the peculiar loud noise which it makes when 

 disturbed in its favourite haunts. It lives upon the 

 seeds and young buds of the spruce, and makes burrows 

 beneath the roots of this tree, where, during the sum- 

 mer, it lays in a large store of fir-cones as provision for 

 the winter ; but it remains active throughout the cold 

 season. The flesh is said to be good eating. The fur 

 has a yellowish-brown hue, the central line of the back 

 having a chestnut tinge ; but the colouring varies con- 

 siderably at different periods of the year. 



THE BLACK SQUIRREL (Sciurus niger) is a large 

 species measuring upwards of two feet when the tail is 

 taken into account. It is also a North American form, 

 being more particularly abundant on the northern shores 

 of Lake Huron and Lake Superior. According to Sir 

 John Eichardson, it is likewise tolerably plentiful in the 

 United States. The fur is short, coarse, and of a deep 

 black colour ; the ears have an elliptical form, and are 

 devoid of tufts. 



THE GREY SQUIRREL (Sciurus dnereus] is an inhab- 

 itant of the United States, being common in Pennsyl- 

 vania and Carolina. Like our English species, it lays 

 up a provision of nuts and acorns against the season of 

 scarcity. This species is particularly destructive to 



the maize crops, and large numbers are therefore annu- 

 ally destroyed. The grey squirrel is about one-third 

 longer than our form. Its ears are not tufted, and the 

 fur is of an ashy-grey colour generally ; underneath the 

 belly, and on the inside of the limbs it is white. The 

 tail is nearly as long as the body. 



THE WHITE-STRIPED SQUIRREL (Sciurus getulus) 

 is a native of the northern parts of Africa, and more 

 particularly of Barbary. The fur exhibits a reddish- 

 grey colour, the sides of the body being banded with 

 two white stripes. It is about the size of our British 

 species, the tail being well developed, and, according 

 to the description given by Pennant, regularly marked 

 with shades of black, one beneath the other. It lives 

 chiefly among palm-trees. 



THE MALABAR SQUIRREL (Sciurus maximus) is 

 an Indian species, measuring about thirty -three inches, 

 including the tail, which is rather longer than the body. 

 Like the above, it is mostly found among palm-trees, 

 being particularly fond of the cocoa-nut, and the milk 

 which it contains. The fur presents a rich chocolate- 

 brown colour, which subsides into a pale yellowish- 

 brown on the inner sides of the limbs and underneath 

 the belly. The ears are short, and provided with long 

 brush-like tufts. 



SMITH'S SQUIRREL (Sciurus Cepapi) is a native of 

 Southern Africa, and was originally discovered by Dr. 

 Smith on the banks of the Limpopo river. The fur 

 has an ochreous yellow tint, and is marbled with black- 

 ish brown patches. The ears are sharp and blunt 

 above, being also slightly notched near the tip. This 

 species is remarkably shy and agile. 



SPARRMANN'S SQUIRREL (Sciurus bicolor) is also 

 found in Java, and is, in common with several other 

 species, termed by the natives the Jelerang. It is also 

 a native of India and Cochin China. This animal was 



Fig. 44. 



Sparrinanu's Squirrol, or Jelerang (Sciurus bicolor). 



first described in the Transactions of the Gothebnrg 

 Society for the year 1778. The body is three feet 

 long, including the tafl, for which about nineteen inches 

 have to be reckoned (fig. 44). The ears are pointed, 

 but not tufted. The fur varies much in colour, being, 



in some cases, uniformly black above and of a golden 

 hue beneath ; in other instances it is more or less tawny 

 throughout, with patches of a darker tint on the shoul- 

 ders and hips. It is neither so abundant nor so prolific 

 as the above. 



