30i THE EUROPEAN SQUIRREf,, 



of hair. Mr. Blyth has remarked that " in summer its fur 

 is coarse, shining, and of a bright rufous colour, and the ears 

 are deficient of the ornamental tufts, which grow in autumn, 

 while the animal is renovating its coat, and continue, usually, 

 till about the beginning of July, the time varying somewhat in 

 different individuals. In winter, its fur is much finer in quality 

 and texture, considerably longer, thicker, and more glossy, and 

 nearly of a greyish brown hue. The first young ones, which 

 are produced very early in the season, push forth the winter 

 garb, which, I believe, they retain throughout the summer'; 

 whereas, the second race of young ones, which, for the most 

 part, make their appearance about Midsummer, are first clad 

 in the summer dress, which is exchanged before they have 

 become half grown for that of winter."* 



In arctic countries, the colour of the fur begins to change 

 from brown to grey about the commencement of October ; and 

 the animal is perfectly grey or rather bluish grey in about a 

 month after. 



Accidental varieties of the squirrel are not of unfrequent 

 occurrence. Blumenbach mentions a black variety, also one 

 spotted with black and white, and an albino with red eyes. 



* Mag. Nat. Hist. (1836), vol. ix. p. 395. 



