228 



THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY. 



TORPIDITY OF THE GROUND SQUIRREL. 



Gentlemen, 



In the eighth number of the Cabinet of Natural History, 

 you have published an account of the habits of the Ground 

 Squirrel, with a correct representation of the same; one of 

 the singular peculiarities of this animal as observed by me is 

 not stated, viz. : its liability to become torpid during very 

 severe weather, a fact which I noticed some five or six years 

 since, in one that a friend of mine had which was kept in 

 a cage, having been captured the preceding summer, and 

 which was admired for its sprightliness and activity in turn- 

 ing a cylindrical wheel attached to the cage; my children had 

 at the same time a flying squirrel. 



The difference between them was very apparent, the former 

 practising his gambols on the wheel in day time, the latter 

 only at night; it was proposed to send his Ground Squirrel to 

 my house, in order to ascertain whether they would associ- 

 ate with each other; in the course of a few days afterwards 

 the weather set in very cold, and to my surprise in looking 

 into the cage I found the Ground Squirrel lying on the bot- 

 tom apparently dead; I immediately took it out, and on ex- 

 amination to ascertain whether it had received an injury, I 

 discovered symptoms of returning animation, produced, no 

 doubt, by the warmth of the house. It was then wrapped 

 in flannel and laid under a moderately heated stove, when 

 in a few minutes it was completely revived, and as lively as 

 ever; this fact was noticed repeatedly afterwards, and always 

 with the same result. Supposing consequently, that this 

 was one of its peculiarities, and having frequently mentioned 

 it to my friends as such, I had some doubts on reading 

 your account whether it was common to this species;* and 

 believing that every fact in relation to the Natural History 

 of our own country might be interesting, I should be pleased 

 to know whether the same has ever been noticed by your- 

 self or any of your correspondents, besides 



One op your Subsceibers. 



* This is not a peculiarity of the Ground Squirrel, but is common to other 

 Squirrels, and more particularly to the Bat, Dormouse, Bear, &c. We know 

 of but one autlior (Pennant, arct. Zool.) who records this fact of the Ground 

 Squirrel, and being found more seldom in this, than others of its genus, we 

 thought it unnecessary to notice it. 



It may at all events be considered only a semi-torpid state, as it requires 

 but little warmth to excite action, as we have seen them in all their wonted 

 sprightliness running along the fences on a moderately warm day in Janua- 

 ry, immediately succeeding a very cold day. 



The Squirrel above alluded to, having been placed in circumstances entire- 

 ly different from its natural state, subjected it to the constant changes of 

 the weather, whicli produced the effect described; but in its native haunts, 

 where its storehouses are well filled, it possesses the means to e.xcite the 

 functions of vitality, and is only subjected to this semi-torpid state, when 

 its provisions are exhausted. — Ed. 



SAGACITY OF A GREYHOUND AND POINTER. 



A gentleman in the county of Stirling, Scotland, kept 

 a greyhound and a pointer, and, being fond of coursing, the 

 pointer was accustomed to find the hares, and the grey- 

 hound to catch them. When the season was over, it was 

 found that the dogs were in the habit of going out by them- 

 selves, and killing the hares for their own amusement. To 

 prevent this, a large iron ring was fastened to the pointer's 

 neck by a leather collar, and hung down, so as to prevent 

 the dog from running or jumping over dykes, &c. The ani- 

 mals, however, continued to stroll out to the fields together: 

 and one day the gentleman, suspecting all was not right, 

 resolved to watch them, and, to his surprise, found that the 

 moment they thought they were unobserved, the greyhound 

 took up the iron ring in his mouth, and, carrying it, they 

 set oS" to the hills, and began to search for hares as usual. 

 They were followed, and it was observed that, whenever 

 the pointer scented the hare, the ring was dropped, and the 

 greyhound stood ready to pounce upon poor puss the mo- 

 ment the other drove her from her form, but that he uni- 

 formly returned to assist his companion when he had accom- 

 plished his object. 



ANECDOTE OF A FOX. 

 A party returning from shooting late last season, saw a 

 fox apparently dirty and much distressed, enter a small 

 thicket, which they soon after surrounded, when several 

 spaniels were hied in to unkennel him; but, to the astonish- 

 ment of all, no fox could be found: — «I have constantly 

 kept my eyes on the brake," said one, "so have I," said 

 another — "his escape," added a third, "without our seeing 

 him, is next to impossible." Whilst wondering at this 

 strange circumstance, an old gentleman, very well mounted, 

 rode up to them, to whom they told the story. "A more 

 game fox," replied the veteran, "never ran on four legs; 

 we have followed him a full hour, mostly at the very height 

 of our speed, and ere this he would probably have breathed 

 his last, but for the rattling of yonder confounded timber 

 carriages, which headed him, and caused a check; however, 

 we have not yet done with him, I trust, for the mystery you 

 speak of somehow or other must be unravelled." Then 

 raising himself on his saddle, and looking forward, with 

 great earnestness, "I have it — I have it, gentlemen," said 

 he, "ten pounds to a shilling, there is an underground com- 

 munication between the brake and yonder old drain, of 

 which Reynard availed himself." So indeed it proved — 

 the hounds coming up, one of them dashed into the drain, 

 and opening, the others quickly joined, when they all went 

 ofl" with the fury of a tempest, and soon killed their fox on 

 a stopped earth in an adjoining cover. — Sport. Mag. 



