298 
ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS. 
contains a specimen of this description taken in the 
woods of that duchy. Similar varieties appear to occur 
in the American races, and render the determination of 
species in this group extremely difficult. 
Little doubt, however, can be entertained that the 
animal figured over leaf belongs to a truly distinct 
species. It differs from all the other American races 
by its small size, being little larger than the Common 
European Squirrel, and from the latter in wanting the 
pencils of long tufted hairs surmounting the ears. From 
the black variety of the large Hooded Squirrel it is 
further distinguished by being usually entirely black in 
every part, the nose and ears exhibiting only an occa- 
sional tinge of white, their invariable colour in that 
species. The tail too is comparatively shorter than in 
the Gray Squirrel, and the ears are almost naked. 
Catesby mentions that " some have their noses only 
white, others the end of their tail white, and some 
others have white round their necks." His own figure 
has a white nose, and a white collar surrounding the 
neck. 
The Black Squirrel is said to inhabit Pennsylvania, 
the Carolinas, Florida, and Mexico. The first three of 
these habitats depend chiefly on the testimony of Kalm, 
Catesby, and Bartram, and the last on that of Hernan- 
dez, who may possibly refer to another species. Our 
specimens, which are extremely shy and wild, were 
brought from the United States, but we know not from 
what precise locality. In their native state they are 
highly destructive to the crops, and their flesh, ac- 
cording to Catesby, is very delicate ; for both which 
reasons they are much sought after and destroyed 
without mercy. 
