Order RODENTIA— RODENTS, OR GNAWING 
ANIMALS 
Family SCIURIDjE. 
Genus Sciurus. 
THE COMMON SQUIRREL. 
Sciurus vulgaris, Linnaeus. 
Plate 24. 
Passing the greater part of its life among the branches of trees, the 
strong flexible feet and sharp claws of the Squirrel enable it to maintain 
a hold of the boughs with the greatest ease, whilst the long bushy tail, 
besides acting as a poise for the body, forms a warm wrap against the 
cold. 
The length of the head and body is about %\ inches, the tail, 
including the hairs, about 85 inches. 
When in full winter coat, which is assumed in October by a moult, 
the colour of the fur is in general a soft warm grey, as shown in the 
Plate, relieved by tHe chestnut tints on the limbs and white under parts, 
which do not change with the season. The tail, rather flat than cylin- 
drical in form, is well haired, bushy, and glossy brown in colour with 
a pale buff" tip. 
In summer the coat moults again to a more or less reddish chestnut 
hue, and the hairs of the tail, which by this time are scanty, blanch to 
a light buff" colour. Blyth appears to have been the first to observe that 
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