THR BLACK SQUIRREL. 40l 



persons, and is esteemed very delicate. The skins in 

 America are used for ladies' shoes ; and are often 

 imported into England for the lining or facing of 

 cloaks *. — They are very difficult to kill ; chang- 

 ing their place on the trees with such expedition, as 

 generally to elude the shot of the most expert 

 marksman. — They are said to be easily tamed ; and 

 in that state to associate readily with other domestic 

 animals. 



THE BLACK SQUIRREL -j-. 



The Black Squirrels are very nearly allied to the 

 preceding species ; differing principally in their coal- 

 black colour, and somewhat shorter tail. The 

 muzzle and the tip of the tail are sometimes while. 



They are natives of America, and migrate from 

 the territory of the United States. They take to 

 the water when rivers lie in their route ; but, as if 

 conscious of their inability to cross the Niagara in 

 its wide parts, they have been observed to bend 

 their course along its banks^ above the falls, and at 

 its narrowest and most tranquil parts to cross into 

 the British territor)^ In the year 1795, it was 

 calculated that in the course of two or three days, 

 fifty thousand of them passed that river ; and they 

 committed such depredations on arriving at the set- 

 tlements on the opposite side, that in one part of the 

 country the farmers deemed themselves very fortu- 



• I'enn. Arct. Zool. i. 117. 

 t Synonyms.— Sciurus Niger. Li//?/.— Ecureil noir. Bii/c/i.— Biacfc 

 Squirrel. Catcshv, Pi-n/t.-^S/iju's Qcn. Zool pi. 147. 



