136 SQUIRREL. Class I. 



eyes are large, black, and lively ; the fore teeth, 

 strong, sharp, and well adapted to its food ; the 

 legs are short and muscular ; the toes long, and 

 divided to their origin; the nails strong and 

 sharp, in short, in all respects fitted for climb- 

 ing, or clinging to the smallest boughs ; on the 

 fore-feet it has only four toes, with a claw in the 

 place of the thumb or interior toe, on the hind 

 feet there are five toes. 



When it eats or dresses itself, it sits erect, 

 covering the body with its tail, and making use 

 of the fore-legs as hands. It is observed, that 

 the gullet of this animal is very narrow, to pre- 

 vent it from disgorging its food, in descending 

 trees, or in down leaps. 



