HUDSON'S BAY SQUIRREL, CHICKAREE, ETC. 127 



The genus Sciurus is illustrated in North America, by a greater variety 

 of species than any other among the various genera we shall have the 

 pleasure of introducing to our readers : — Permit us to dwell for a mo- 

 ment on the subject, and to relate the following anecdote — 



When we began the publication in Great Britain of the " Birds of Ame- 

 rica," we were encouraged bj' the approbation of many excellent friends, 

 and by the more essential, although less heartfelt favours, bestowed by 

 those noblemen and gentlemen, who kindly subscribed to the work, and 

 without Avhose aid, it is frankly acknowledged it could never have been 

 completed. Among those whom we then had the honour of calling pa- 

 trons, ■we found as many varieties of character, as among the beautiful 

 feathered inhabitants of our woods, lakes, and sea-shores, themselves ; 

 and had Tve time just now to spare, we might undertake to describe 

 some of them. We published as the first plate of the first number of 

 " The Birds of America," the Wild Turkey Cock, and gave the Turkey 

 Hen and Young, as the first plate of the second number. We 

 need not stop to enumerate the other species of birds that completed 

 those two numbers ; but judge of our surprise, on being told gravely, 

 by a certain noble subscriber, that, " as the work was to con- 

 sist of Turkeys only, he begged to be allowed to discontinue his 

 subscription ! " 



Now, kind reader, we are obliged to follow Nature in the works of in- 

 finite wisdom, which we humbly attempt to portray ; and although you 

 should find that more Squirrels inhabit our forests than you expected, or 

 desired to be figured in this work, '^ve assure you it ^vould give us pleasure 

 to discover a new^ species at any time ! We are not, however, wanting 

 in a due knowledge of the sympathy and kindness that exist among our 

 patrons to^vard us, and we hope you will find this really beautiful genus, 

 as interesting as anj- other among the quadrupeds we desire to place be- 

 fore you. 



The Chickaree, or Hudson's Baj' Squirrel, is the most common species 

 of this numerous genus, around New York and throughout the Eastern 

 States. It is a graceful, lively animal, and were you to walk with us 

 through the woods in the neighbourhood of our great commercial me- 

 tropolis, where boys and sportsmen (?) for years past, have been hunting 

 in every direction, and killing all the game left in the vicinity ; where 

 w^oodcocks are shot before the first of July, and quails, (Virginian par- 

 tridges) when they are half-grown, in defiance of the laws for their pre- 

 servation, you would be glad to find the comparative silence, which now 



