The Hiftory of ANIMALS. 
5 H 
Sciurus cauda teretiufcula , auribus latis nudis. 
The round-tailed Sciurus , w/V/6 fhort ^ broad ears . 
XDe b?otbn $tne- 
rtcan Squirrel. 
This, on a curfory view, has more of the appearance of fome of the weafel-kind, 
than of the fquirrel: the head is fmall and oblong ; the mouth narrow, the eyes black* 
not very large, but prominent, and the ears naked, membranaceous, and roundifh • 
the creature is larger than our fquirrel: the back is of a deep brown, approaching to 
black; the fides have a tinge of reddifh among the brown 5 the belly is ferru^i- 
neous: the tail is long, and ©f a rounded form ; the legs are very flender, and nearly 
black. 7 
It is a native of many parts of America. Some authors call it, fimply, Sciurus 
Americanus. 
Sciurus hypochondriis prolixis volitans . 
*The Sciurus , with the fides extended . 
This is a very beautiful, as well as a very lingular cfeature, though truly a quadra- 
ped, having the advantage, in fome degree, of Hying; it is much fmaller than our 
common fquirrel, and it’s head is fo llender, that it’s weight is lefs than could be ima¬ 
gined : the head is oval, fhort, and obtufe ; the mouth is fmall, and the teeth flender, 
but prominent and fharp j the eyes are very black and prominent; the legs are very 
llender, and the tail is of a lingular figure, and different from that of any other of the 
fquirrel-kind; it is long and broad, or flatted, and the creature does not, on any oc- 
calion, elevate it along the back, as the common fquirrel. 
The back and fides are of a deep and dufky grey; the belly is white, and, at the 
commiffure or joining of the two colours at the fides, there runs a long line of black : 
the Ikin of the fides is extended and lax, and is continued both along the fore and 
hinder legs, fo that the creature can at pleafure extend it. This is it’s prolix j when 
it leaps from tree to tree, it is very light and nimble, and can take fhort leaps without 
any afliftance from this ftrudure; but when it would go to a tree at confiderable dis¬ 
tance, and to which the mere elafticity of the hinder legs could not carry it, this 
membrane is extended, and fupports it in the air, nor does it want a limited power of 
vibration in it, which carries it on Hill farther, and makes it anfwer many of the pur- 
pofes of wings. 
Sciurus rufo-nigrefcens lateribus variegatis. 
The darker-coloured Sciurus , with variegated fides. 
This is of the fize of the common fquirrel, and greatly refembles it in form: the 
head is fmall and oval; the eyes are large, bright, and prominent} the ears are fhort, 
broad, and obtufe: the mouth is fmall, and the teeth fharp, but not large: the back 
is of a deep but very beautiful colour; a tawny brown, with a confiderable ad¬ 
mixture of black : the fides are variegated with oblique lines of tawny and white; the 
belly is of a pearly colour or white, with fome admixture of blue : the legs are flen¬ 
der, and the tail is long, large, covered with f y; thick and deep fur, and variegated 
with white, and a paler tawny than that of the back or fides, and often the white is 
blended entirely with that colour : the toes are long and flender, the claws black. 
This is a native of Africa, and of fome parts of the Eaft Indies; it’s fur is very 
fine. Gefner calls it Sciurus Getulus; Clufius, Muftela Africana. Thofe who de¬ 
pend on the colour only, for diflindion of fpecies, may enlarge this family very greatly, 
*or the fame fpecies is often fubjed to many variations in this refped; but tfaefe are 
1 'Nt are at prefent known to be truly and certainly diflind. 
3Ti)e ©atbarp 
Mutrtcl 
LEPUS. 
