OF NORTH CAROLINA. 205 



much air, as buoys him up, from one tree to an- 

 other, that are greater distances asunder, than 

 other squirrels can reach by jumping or springing. 

 He is made very tame, is an enemy to a corn field, 

 (as all squirrels are) and eats only the germinating 

 eye of that grain, which is very sweet. 



Ground squirrels are so called because they nev- 

 er delight in running up trees, and leaping from 

 tree to tree. They are the smallest of all squirrels. 

 Their tail is neither so long not bushy, but flat- 

 tish. They are of a reddish color and striped 

 down each side with black rows, which make them 

 very beautiful. They may be kept tame in a little 

 box with cotton. They and the flying squirrels 

 seldom stir out in cold weather, being tender ani- 

 mals. 



The fox of Carolina is gray but smells not as 

 the foxes in Great Britain and elsewhere. They 

 have reddish hair about their ears, and are gene- 

 rally very fat, yet I never saw any one eat them. 

 When hunted, they make a sorry chase, because 

 they run up trees when pursued. They are never 

 to be made familiar and tame as the raccoon is. 

 Their furs, if in season, are used for muffs and oth- 

 er ornaments. They live chiefly on birds and 

 fowls and such small prey. 



I have been informed by the Indians that on 

 a lake of water towards the head of ^N'eus river, 

 there haunts a creature which frightens them all 

 from hunting thereabouts. They say he is the 

 color of a panther, but cannot run up trees ; and 



AlO 



