A YOUNG NATURALIST. S3 



evident enjoyment. Dried maize-cakes, called totopo, took the 

 place of bread, and each one had his allowance of it. 



We couldn't help feeling uneasy about Gringalet; we had 

 given him about half a squirrel, but instead of eating it, he 

 thought fit to roll himself upon it frantically. The poor beast had 

 consequently only some scraps of totopo. It was, however, highly 

 necessary to accustom him to feed on game, as our maize-cakes 

 were far too valuable to be doled out thus. Each of us poured 

 a little water from his gourd into a calabash, which served for a 

 drinking vessel. The poor dog, thus allowanced^ must have been 

 sorry that he ever joined us. 



The sun was perceptibly sinking. 



" Well, Lucien ! " asked Sumichrast, " what do you think now 

 of rat's flesh?" 



" I'll tell you when I have eaten some of it." 

 " What ! don't you know that the squirrel and the rat are very 

 near relations, and that they both belong to the Eodent family '? " 

 " They certainly are a little alike," said the child, making a 

 comical face. 



" Especially the species which we had for our dinner ; which, 

 by the by, is not yet classed by naturaUsts. Look ! its coat is 

 black on the back, gray on the flanks, and white under the belly. 

 The ears, too, ,are bare, instead of having those long points of 

 hair which give such a knowing look to the European squirrels." 

 " Do squirrels feed on flesh ? " 



" No ; acorns, buds, nuts, grain, and sometimes grasses, con- 

 stitute their principal food." 



" Then," replied Lucien, triumphantly, " the flesh of the squir- 

 rel cannot resemble that of the rat, for I know that the rat will 



eat flesh." 



The assured and self-satisfied tone of the little savant made us 

 smile ; but 1 almost immediately desired him to be silent, for a 

 noise of branches rustUng, which had excited our attention, be- 

 came every moment more distinct. Gringalet was about to bark, 

 but I'Encuerado caught him by the muzzle, and covered him with 

 his sarapi. A whole troop of squirrels, no doubt those we had 

 hunted two hours before, made their appearance, uttering sharp 



