THE GROUND SQUIRREL. 325 



and round the house ; he often steals almonds, &c. from our 

 dining-room."* 



Mr. R. C. Taylor says, that the grey squirrel (Sciurus dnereus), 

 black squirrel (S. niger), ground squirrel (S. striatus), and red 

 squirrel (S. Hudsonius), which are extremely numerous in the 

 woods at the north-eastern extremity of the Alleghany mountain 

 range, "are eaten as great delicacies, particularly the two former 

 species.f On account of the great damage they do to the grain 

 and corn, they are mercilessly destroyed, shooting matches 

 frequently taking place for this object. On June 8, 1835, a 

 match was decided between twenty men on each side, in Lyco- 

 ming Valley, who, during three days, were to shoot the greatest 

 number of squirrels and other destructive animals. At this 

 meeting were produced 2657 head of all denominations coming 

 under this class. Nearly at the same time, in the adjoining 

 county of Tioga, another squirrel match took place : the winning 

 side brought in no less than 1732, and the losers produced 1035 

 squirrels -, the total number being 2767-"t 



THE ALPINE MARMOT. 

 (Arctomys marmotta, Desm. j A. alpinus, Gm.; Mus alpinus, Linn.) 



This animal inhabits the mountains of Savoy, the Pyrenees, 

 Poland, the Ukraine, and Chinese Tartary, immediately beneath 

 the regions of perpetual frost and snow. 



It is about one foot four inches in length from the nose to 



* Entomological Magazine (1837), vol. v. p. 34. 



f The Indian gipsies eat squirrels; and Audubon, the American orni- 

 thologist, in his description of the barred owl, mentions his roasting a squirrel 

 for his own dinner. J. H. F. 



I Mag. Nat. Hist. (1835), vol. viii. p. 538. 



Several other species of marmots are found in Europe, as the bobac 

 (Arctomys bobac), which inhabits low mountains and hills, from Poland to 

 Kamschatka. Russian travellers in Bucharia mention some other species, as 

 A. fulvus, A. lepto-dactylus, and A. musogaricus, which are not yet perhaps 

 sufficiently distinguished from the bobac or from the souslik (Spermophilus 



