94 S Q^U I R R E L. Clafsf. 



provident, never leaves its food to chance ; but fe- 

 cures in fome hollow tree a vaft magazine of nuts for 

 winter provifion. In the fummer it feeds on the buds 

 and young fhoots ; and is particularly fond of thofe of 

 the fir and pine, and alfo of the young cones. It 

 makes its neft of mofs or dry leaves, between the 

 fork of two branches 5 and brings four or five young 

 at a time. Squirrels are in heat early in the fpring, 

 when it is very diverting to fee the female feigning an 

 efcape from the purfuit of two or three males, to ob- 

 ferve the various proofs they give of their agility, 

 ■which is then exerted in full force. 



The color of the whole head, body, tail, and legs 

 of this animal, is a bright reddifh brown : the belly 

 and breafl white : in fome parts of TVaks there is a 

 variety of the fquirrel kind, with a creme-colored 

 tail : the ears are very beautifully ornamented with 

 long tufts of hair, of a deeper color than thofe on the 

 body : the eyes are large, black, and lively : the fore 

 teeth, ftrong, fiiarp, and well adapted to its food : 

 the legs are fhort and mufcular : the toes long, and 

 divided to their origin ; the nails ftrong and fharp ; 

 in fhort, in all refpedls fitted for climbing, or clinging 

 to the fmalleft 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 drefles itfelf, it fits ered, covering 

 the body with its tail, and making ufeof the fore-legs 

 as hands. It is obferved, that the gullet of this ani- 

 mal is very narrow, to prevent it from difgorging its 

 food, in defcending of trees, or in down leaps. 



Genus 



