152 



THE YOUNG FLORIST. 



Margaret. What singular bird is that de- 

 scending from the tree before us ? 



Henry. It is not a bird, but the curious fly- 

 ing squirrel ; see ! another flies ; they have 

 landed at the foot of that dead tree ; now they 

 run up the tree and enter a hole. 



ilf. It is strange that a squirrel should fly. 

 Have they wings like birds ? 



H. They have not proper wings, but a 

 skinny substance, covered with fur, in the 

 same manner as the body, which extends from 

 the hind to the fore feet. They cannot, like 

 birds, rise in the air, or even horizontally, but 

 descend from the tops of trees obliquely, as we 

 saw. ..... Now we have filled our baskets, 



we will return ? 



M. Hark ! is that thunder ? 



H. No ; it is the drumming of the par- 

 tridge. 



M. How do they contrive to make such a 

 noise ? 



