THE SQUIRREL. 311 



Furiou4 battles. ' 



touched by the animals but in cases of necessity 

 when no food is to be had abroad. Thus a tree 

 serves both for a residence and a storehouse ; and 

 without leaving it during the winter, the squirrel 

 possesses all those enjoyments that his nature is 

 capable of receiving. 



The squirrel is a vigilant animal, and it is as- 

 serted, that if the tree in which it resides be but 

 touched at the bottom, it instantly quits its nest, 

 flies off to another tree, and thus travels along 

 the whole forest, until it finds itself perfectly out 

 of danger. In this manner it continues for some 

 hours at a distance from home, until the alarm 

 is past; and then it returns by paths that, t6 

 almost every quadruped but itself, are utterly 

 impassable. It generally bounds from one tree 

 to another at a very great distance; and if it is 

 at any time obliged to descend, runs up the side 

 of the next tree with surprising facility. 



In northern climates the squirrels change their 

 colour, on the approach of winter, and become 

 perfectly grey : and it is worthy of remark, that 

 this alteration will occur in those climates, even 

 within the warmth of a stove. 



Squirrels are found in almost every country; 

 but they are most numerous in northern and 

 temperate climates. 



