THE EDINBURGH 



JOUENAL OF NATURAL HIS 



Y. 



AXD OF 



THE PHYSICAL SCIENCES, 



SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 13, 1836. 



ZOOLOGY. 



DESCRIPTION OF THE PLATE — THE SQUIRRELS. 



All the animals of this tribe are light, nimble, and elegant, climbing trees with the 

 utmost agility, and springing from branch to branch with astonishing security. They 

 reside almost exclusively upon trees, where many of the species form their nests of 

 moss and other soft substances. They subsist upon fruits and nuts of various kinds, 

 which they instinctively store up for their winter's food, in the fissures of the trees, 

 or in some other place of security. 



Most of the Squirrels may be rendered perfectly tame and docile, with the utmost 

 facility, owing to their natural gentleness of disposition, and the cheerfulness and con- 

 tentment which they manifest in a state of captivity. They are playful and frolicsome, 

 and become extremely attached to those whom they are accustomed to see. The 

 progressive motions nf the Squirrels, while on the ground, are performed by a suc- 

 cession of leaps. While eating they sit erect, and hold the food in their fore-paws. 

 They are widely diifuscd over every quarter of the. globe, with the exception of New 

 South Wales. 



Few animals of the order Rodentia, of which they are members, can be compared 

 to the Squirrels, for the elegance of their form, the beauty of their fur, and the rapi- 

 dity of their movements. 



Modern Naturalists divide the Squirrels into three sub-genera, and a now genus, 

 under the name of Pteromys. The first sub-genus consists of the true Tree Squir- 

 rels, which form a pretty extensive group, distinguished by the absence of the lateral 

 folds of the skin which characterise the Flying Squirrels, now grouped under the 

 generic name of Ptcrowi/s, and being devoid of the cheek pouches which are found 

 in the Tamias or Ground Squirrels of America. Further, they are distinguished 

 from the Guerlingucts by their tail being distichous throughout, whereas those of the 

 latter sub-genus are round and distichous only at the extremity. 



Fig. 1. The Malabar Squirrel CSciurus Maximus) is perhaps the largest of its 

 tribe, being from 8 to 9 inches in height, and from 15 to 16 inches in length, exclu- 

 sive of the tail, which is somewhat longer than the body. It inhabits the coast of 

 Malabar, and resides chiefly on palm trees; its food consists of vai'ious nuLs, but par- 

 ticularly of cocoa-nuts, and the milky juice contained within them; both of which it 

 is s^d they are remarkably fond. 



Fig. 2. The Grey Squirrel (S. Cinernis), is a native of the United States of 

 America. Though considerably inferior in size to the last species, it is still larger 

 than all our European Squirrels. 



This species associates in numerous bodies; it is particularly abundant in North 

 and South Carolina, and also in Pennsylvania, where it feeds upon the young shoots 

 of trees, buds, acorns, various nuts, and even descends to the fields and destroys 

 grain. In summer it builds its nest on the extreme branches of the trees, and in 

 winter retreats to the hollow of some decayed tree, in which it had previously laid up 

 its winter store. 



Fig. 3. The American Black Squirrel (^5". Niger). — This squirrel has a pretty wide 

 geographical range, having been found in the woody regions of JNIesico, Florida, North 

 and South Carolina, and Pennsylvania. It feeds on nuts like the rest of its congeners, 

 and is said to be very destructive to crops of grain. Its flesh is considered a delicate 

 food, and the animal is hunted on this account as well as for its fur, which is of a 

 beautiful glossy black. 



Fig. 4. The Chickaree (S. Hudsonius) is a native of those extensive white spruce 

 forests which are so numerous in the fur countries of North America. It burrows 

 only at the root of the largest trees, and generally forms four openings to its retreat 

 for egress and ingress. Its principal food consists in the cones of the pine, under 

 which its retreat is constructed; and it appears seldom to quit the same tree. Its skin 

 is of little value, and has never formed an article of commerce. Its flesh is eaten by 

 the natives, but that of the male has a strong murine flavour. 



Fig. 5. The Plantane Squirrel (S. Flantani) is usually seven inches in length, 

 although many of them are found not to exceed six and a half inches ; the tail is some- 

 what longer than the body and head together. It is called the Bajing by the natives 

 of Java, in which island it is very abundant, both on the sea-coasts and in those dis- 

 tricts of the interior which are but shghtly elevated above the level of the ocean. It 

 is often found on tamarind trees, and indeed on all fruit trees, but is notorious for 

 the injury it occasions to the cocoa-nut tree. It is, consequently, hunted by the 

 natives, as the preservation of the cocoa-nut in a great measure depends upon their 

 being driven out of the district. The Javanese kill numbers, and suspend their skins 

 aliout their dwellings as trophies. It is a very prolific animal. 



Fig. 6. Javanese Squirrel (S. Insignis). — This is the Bokkol of the Javanese. 

 Us height is three inches and a half; from one extremity to the other, exclusive of 



the tail, it measures seven and a half inches; the tail is as long a<; the neck and uody 

 toTetber. It is a very scai-ce animal in Java, and has only been met with in the 

 extensive forests of Bambangan. It has also been discovered in Sumatra, but is 

 rare on that island. 



Fig. 7. The Two-coloured Squirrel (S. Bicolor). — This figure represents the ani- 

 mal in its common dress, in the eastern pai-t of Java. On the continent of India, 

 and in Cochin-China, it is found almost entirely black above, and a golden yellow below. 

 It retires to the deepest forests, where its food consists of wild fruits of various kinds. 

 It is not at all destructive to the cocoa-nut trees. The inhabitants occasionally feed 

 on its flesh ; and some of them keep it in a domesticated state. 



Fi«-. 8. "UTiite-earcd Squirrel (S. LencotisJ. — This is another large-sized species^ 

 measuring twelve inches from the nose to the insertion of the tail, and the tail itself 

 is thirteen inches. It is a native of Upper Canada, and is also found in the State of 

 New York. 



Fio-. 9. Raffles' Squirrel CS. liajjlcsiij. — This beautiful and singularly-marked spe- 

 cies was discovered by Sir Stamford Raffles, at Sumatra. Its length, exclusive of the 

 tail, is ei^rht inches; the tail itself, eight inches and a third; and its height at the 

 shoulder, three inches and three quarters. 



DERCEirTION or THE PLATE — THE OniOLES. 



All the birds which compose the genus Oriolu?, as it is now restricted by Natura- 

 lists, inhabit Asia, Africa, or Europe; and the Orioles of America form another and 

 a separate genus. 



The plumage of the Orioles consists of two prevailing colours, namely, black and 

 yello-.v. In most of the male birds, these are the only tints, but the females are fre- 

 quently of a greenish cast above. The birds of this genus are said to be but partially 

 gregarious, and to hve in pairs in thickly wooded districts; previous to their migra- 

 tion, they are sometimes seen in very small flocks before leaving the districts in which 

 they hi\e bred. Their common food is fruits, berries, insects, and larvae. They arc 

 very shv birds, and permit no one to approach. 



The Orioles build their nests with great art; and generally place them in the fork 

 of a small branch, from wliich the nests are suspended by their rims. 



Fig. 1. The Javanese Oriole (0. Leucogasfer). — This species has nothing to dis- 

 tinguish it from the true character of the genus Oriolus, in the shape of the body, or 

 form of the bill and claws. In respect to size, it is somewhat smaller than the 

 Asiatic variety of the Golden Oriole. This bird is of extremely limited distiibution, 

 beino- found only in a few circumscribed situations in the Island of Java, where it 

 leads a sohtary life. Dr Horsfield found it at Bhtai-, a district nearly covered with 

 vast forests, the closest shades of which it seldom quits. 



Fig. 2. The Golden Oriole, male (0. Galbula), and Fig. 3. Female. — Tliis ele- 

 gant bird is widely distributed, inhabiting Asia, Africa, and Europe. It breeds in 

 the warmer pai-ts of Europe, and solitary instances arc recorded of pairs having been 

 seen in Britain. Those which incubate in Europe invariably migratt?, about Septem- 

 ber, to Asia or Africa, where they pass the winter. The song^of (he Golden Oriole 

 is very sweet. 



Fi". 4. The Kink Oriole (0. Sinensiji) has been found in Cochin-Cbiua, and 

 also in the woods of Senegal. These Orioles are said to be much devoted to their 

 young. Like many other species, when in the act of incubation, their true character 

 entirely forsakes them, and they will fly at any person who attempts to approach their 

 nests. 



Fio*. 5. The Black-headed Oriole (0. Melanocephalus). — This species, by some 

 authors, has been considered merely as a variety of the Golden Oriole; but in all 

 those individuals which have come under o\ir notice, we have observed that their bills 

 were somewhat longer than those of the Golden Oriole. It inhabits Africa and 

 Asia. 



Fit^. 6. The Two-coloured Oriole (0. Bicolor) inhabits South Africa, and is that 

 described by Le Vaillant as the Coudougnan. The female bird is represented in the 

 plate. 



The specimens from which we took the last five birds are in the superb collection 

 of the Edinbxirgh University Royal Museum. 



Fecundity of the Cod. — Three persons undertook to number the Roe in a very 

 fine Cod. One of them took as much of the roe as weighed a drachm, and after hav- 

 ing coimted the eggs contained in it, passed it to the others, who did the same; and 

 as the numbers all agreed, they wrote down the total of the whole drachm, after which 

 they weighed all the mass of eggs, and repeated eight times the sum of one drachm 

 for every ounce. The addition of all these sums produced a total of 9,344,000. 



