264 BLACK SQUIRREL. 



individuals we have seen in a living state, as well as all the prepared 

 specimens we have examined. 



Much difficulty has existed among authors in deciding on the species 

 to which the name of S. niger should be appropriated. The original de- 

 scription by LiNN^us was contained in the single word " niger." If he 

 had made no reference to any author, his description w^ould have served 

 quite well, as this was the only species of squirrel purely black, that was 

 known at that day. He ho^vever made a reference to Catesby, who 

 figured the black variety of the Southern fox-squirrel, {S. capistratus,) 

 and Brisson, Pexnant, Erxleben, and Schreber referred the species in the 

 same manner to the description and figure of Catesby. Our American 

 writers on natural history, as well as Dr. Richaedson, have however 

 adopted the name given by Linn/eus, and applied it to this species. We 

 consider it advisable to retain the name, omitting the reference to 

 Catesby. 



It is difficult to decide, from the descriptions of Drs. Harlan and God- 

 man, whether they described from specimens of the black variety of the 

 Northern gray squirrel or from the present species. 



Dr. Richardson has, under the head of Sciurus niger, (see Fauna Bo- 

 reali Americana, p. 191,) described a specimen from Lake Superior, 

 which we conceive to be the black variety of the gray squirrel ; but at 

 the close of the same article (p. 192) he described another specimen from 

 Fort William, which answers to the description of this species. 



