74 SQUIRRELS. OTTER. 



extends between the fore and hind legs : to support this, 

 the thumb of the fore feet is extended to a considerable 

 length into the membrane. The upper parts of the body 

 are of an elegant pale grey, and the under milk white. 

 The manners of this animal resemble those of the common 

 squirrel; it is however of solitary habits. It builds its 

 nest of the finest mosses, and the female pays great atten- 

 tion to her young, which are at first very helpless. The 

 Flying Squirrel will spring as much as twenty fathoms, 

 always directing its flight slightly downwards, generally 

 from the top of one tree to the middle of another. It 

 remains during winter in its nest, but does not become 

 torpid. It seldom or ever descends to the surface of the 

 round, and indeed cannot move comfortably when there. 



THE VIRGINIAN FLYING SQUIRREL. 



THIS is an animal of great beauty. It is smaller than 

 the preceding species, of an elegant pale brown above, and 

 yellowish white beneath. The flying membrane is dark 

 towards the edge, which is white. It is often kept tame, 

 is easily familiarized, and fed with nuts, almonds, walnuts, 

 and other fruits. It is a gregarious animal, living several 

 together, in nests built in the hollows of trees. These 

 animals constantly inhabit the upper parts of the trees : 

 they can swim if necessary, and leap quite well imme- 

 diately on leaving the water. 



THE OTTER, 



THE common Otter is found in almost every part of 

 Europe, and in the colder countries of Asia. It feeds 

 principally on fish, on which account it inhabits the banks 

 of rivers. It is found in the northern parts of America, 

 especially in Canada, where it grows to a larger size than 

 in Europe. The Otter is about two feet in length, with a 

 tail sixteen inches long : the colour is a deep brown, with 

 a small light patch on each side of the nose and under the 

 chin : the throat and breast are ash coloured : the head is 

 broad and flat, the ears short and rounded, the eyes small, 



