150 



The Living Animals of the World 



Plwtn hij S,-I,<iliutk- I'hnln. Co.] 



L(iN(:-TAiLi;n jiarmot. 



[Pardon's Green. 



The marmots live by ju'eferencLi on hi;4h ;itiil 

 line of etern.il snow in Knrnpe. In Asia, wticte tl 

 found at altitudes of 12,000 feet. 



nlil nionntains just Ijelow the 

 ; anow-line is liigber, they are 



squirrels tay a cartilage extending from 

 the wrist. In the South African 

 flying-squirrels this support springs 

 from the elbow, not from the wrist ; 

 they have also horny plates on the 

 under-surfaee of the tail. Many of 

 the tropical flying-squirrels are quite 

 large animals, some being as large as 

 a small cat, 



Mr. W. H. Adams says of Pel's 

 Flying-SQUIuhel, a West African 

 species : " These squirrels come out of 

 their holes in the trees some hours 

 after sunset, and return long before 

 daybreak. They are only visible on 

 bright moonlight nights. The natives 

 say that they do not come out of 

 their holes at all in stormy weather, 

 or on very dark nights ; they live on 

 berries and fruits, being especially fond of the palm-oil nut. which they take to their nests 

 to peel and eat. They pass from tree to tree with great rapidity, usually choosing to jump 

 from a higher branch to a lower one, and then climbing up again to make a fresh start. . . . 

 They litter about twice in a \ear, once in September. The young remain in the nest for 

 about nine weeks, during which they are fed by the old ones on such food as shoots and 

 kernels. Thev do not attempt to jump or 'fly' till the end of that period, extending the 

 length of their jumps with their growth." 



The Ethiopian Spiny Squirrels have coarse spiny fur; the little Indian Palm-squirrel 

 is marked with longitudinal dark and light stripes on the back; others have light bands on 

 their flanks. 



The Ground-squirrels. 



Manv tree-living squirrels pass a good deal of their time on the ground ; but there 

 are others which burrow like mice, and, though they climb admirably, prefer to make their 

 nest, and the regular squirrel's store of nuts, in the earth, and not in the branches. The 

 best known is the little Chipmunk of the United States, the favourite pet of all American 

 children. There are many kinds of chipmunks, all of wdiich have pouches in their cheeks 

 for carrying food. The commonest is the Striped Chipmunk. It is from 8 to 10 inches 

 long, with white stripes, bordered with dark brown on each side. The chipmunks' hoards of 

 grain and nuts are so large that the Indians used to rob them in times of scarcity. There 

 is also a ground-squirrel in Northern Europe and Northern Asia with much the same habits 

 as the clii[)niunk. 



The burrows of the chipmunks are deep and extensive, and into them these rodents 

 convey siicli quantities of grain and maize as to inflict considerable loss on the farmer. The 

 Siberian (Ground-squirrel has Ijeen known to conceal over 8 lbs. weight of corn in its hole. 

 This has a sleeping-chamber at the end, filled with moss and leaves, on which the family 

 sleep. From this side passages are dug, all leading to chambers stocked with food, often far 

 in excess of tlie wants of these })rovident little creatures. The surplus stores are said to be 

 eaten in the spring by wild boars and bears. 



The Prairie-dogs and Marmots. 



Between squirrels which live in holes in the ground and the marmots and their 

 relations no great gap is found. These creatures drop the climbing habit and increase 



