34 
STRIPED SQUIRREL. 
at its narrowest and most tranquil parts, to erosj 
into the British territory. In the year 1795, it was 
calculated that in the course of two or three days, 
fifty thousand of them passed that river ; and they 
committed such depredations on arriving at the 
settlements on the opposite side, that in one part of 
the country the farmers deemed themselves very 
fortunate where they got in only one third of their 
crop of corn. 
Some writers/' says Mr. Weld, cc have as- 
serted that these animals cannot swim ; but that 
when they come to a river, each one provides itself 
with a piece of wood, or bark, upon which, when 
a favourable wind offers, it embarks, spreads its 
bushy tail to catch the wind, and is thus wafted 
over to the opposite side. Whether they do or do 
not cross in this manner sometimes, I cannot take 
upon me to say; but I can safely affirm that they 
do not always cross so, as I have frequently shot 
them in the water while swimming. No animals 
$wim better ; and, w hen pursued, I have seen them 
eagerly take to the water.. In swimming, their 
tail serves them by way ef rudder, and they use 
it with great dexterity ; owing to its being so light 
and bushy, the greater part of it floats upon the 
water, and thus helps also to support them. Their 
migration in large numbers, is said to be an infal- 
lible sign of a severe winter/' 
STRIPED SQUIRREL. 
The length of the striped squirrel is about six 
inches ; its tail, which is rather more, is not curv- 
ed and bushy, but long and very narrow. The 
skin is of a reddish brown ; and is marked with 
five black streaks, one of which runs along the 
back, and two on each side. These animals eat 
all kinds of corn ; and, like the common squirrel. 
