322 THE LESSER FLYING SQUIRREL. 



fighting, lived very contentedly with the three already in the 

 cage. 



" Two of the females produced young last spring. I think the 

 period of their gestation is a month. The young are blind for 

 three weeks after their birth, and do not reach puberty till the 

 next spring. I never obtained more than two young ones at a 

 time, nor more than one litter in a year from the same female. 

 The young were generally born in March or April. The female 

 has five teats on each side, which appear through the fur some 

 time before she brings forth. One of the females produced two 

 young ones without making a distinct nest, or separating her- 

 self from the rest ; but the consequence was, that they disap- 

 peared on the third day. If on any occasion we disturbed the 

 young in their nest, the mother removed them to another part of 

 the cage. The common squirrel of this country is said to re- 

 move her young in the same manner, if disturbed., Finding this 

 the case, we often took the young squirrels out of their nest, for 

 the purpose of watching the mother carry them away, which 

 she did by doubling the little one up under her body with her 

 fore-feet and mouth, till she could take hold of the hind thigh 

 and the neck, when she would jump away so fast that it was 

 difficult to see whether she were carrying her young one or not. 

 As the young increased in size (which they soon do) and in 

 weight, the undertaking became more difficult. We then saw 

 the mother turn the young one on its back, and while she held 

 the thigh in her mouth, the fore-legs of the young one were 

 clasped round her neck. Sometimes, when she was attempting 

 to jump upon some earthen pots, placed in the cage, she was 

 overbalanced, and fell with her young one ; but as soon as she 

 was near the ground, she would drop the young squirrel, so as 

 to prevent her own weight from crushing it, which would have 

 been the case if they had fallen together. I have seen the young 

 ones carried in this manner till they were half-grown." 



