Gee YOU TR Re Ut 
This is the largeft of the genus, and grows to half the fize of a 
Rabbet. 
In America 1 do not difcover this animal farther north than New 
England*.; from whence they are found in vaft numbers as far fouth as 
Louifiana+. Thefe, and the other {pecies of Squirrels, are the 
greateft pefts. to the farmers of North America. They fwarm in fe- 
yeral of the provinces, and often’ defcend in troops from the back 
fettlements, and join the reft in their ravages on the plantations of 
mayz, and. the various nuts and.maft.which that fertile country. 
produces. 
Thofe which migrate from the mountains generally arrive in au 
tumn;_inftantly clear the ground of the fallen acorns, nuts, and matt, 
and form with them magazines for their winter.provifions, in holes 
which they dig under. ground for that purpofe. They are often 
robbed of their hoards for the colonifts take great pains to find 
them out; and oft-times the hogs, which rove about the woods, root 
up and devour their magazines.. It is from thefe-that they fupply 
themfelves, from time to time, with provifions, quitting their nefts, 
and returning with a fufficient ftock to laft them for fome {pace ; it. 
being obferved, that during winter. they do not care to quit their 
warm retreat, unlefs on a vifit to their ftorehoufes ; therefore, when- 
ever they are obferved to run about the woods in greater numbers 
than ufual, it is a certain fign.of the near approach of fevere cold ; 
for inftinét directs them to lay in a greater ftock than ufual, leaft the 
inclemency of the weather. fhould. deprive them of. accefs to their 
fubterraneous magazines. 
The damage which they do to the poor planters, by deftroying the 
mayz, is incredible. ‘They come by hundreds into the fields, climb 
up the ftalks, and eat the fweet.corn wrapt up in the heads, and 
will deftroy a whole plantation inanight. For this reafon they were 
profcribed. In fome places the inhabitants.were, each, obliged an- 
nually to bring in four Squirrels heads. In others, a fum was given, 
© Felfelyn’s voy. 86. + Bofft, i, 361. 
about 
117 
