SCIURUS. 
3. Sciurus Niger, or black squirrel.—This is without ears; 
the body is black. A variety has the nose, neck, and tip 
of the tail white. It is entirely of a shining black, except 
that the muzzle and the tip of the tail are sometimes white : 
specimens have also been seen with a white ring round 
the neck.—It inhabits North America and New Spain: 
it is gregarious; very mischievous to fields of maize: tail 
shortish. 
4. Sciurus vulpinus, or cat squirrel.-—This is said to be 
equal in size, to the grey squirrel, which comes next in order. 
The ears are not bearded; the body is tawny, mixed with 
ash, and large. In a variety the general colour is white; the 
throat, inside of the legs, and thighs black.—It inhabits 
North America, and is the size of a small rabbit; the fur is 
coarse; ears at the tips and tail tawny. 
5. Sciurus cinereus, or grey squirrel.—Thfe ears of this are 
not bearded ; the body is cinereous, the belly is white. This 
species is confined entirely to North America, in many parts 
of which it is extremely common. In its general form, as 
well as in its way of life, it resembles the European squirrel. 
It is about half the size of a full-grown rabbit; the whole 
animal is of an elegant pale grey, with the insides of the 
limbs, and the under parts of the body, white ; the ears and 
tail are sometimes tinged with black; in some specimens a 
yellowish cast prevails. It is frequently so numerous as to 
do incredible mischief to plantations of corn; hence it is a 
proscribed animal, and so much as three-pence per head 
have been given for every one killed, and at this rate, it is 
said, that in the year 1749, eight thousand pounds were 
paid in rewards. The grey squirrel resides principally 
among trees, in the hollows of which it makes its nest. 
The great dexterity which it exhibits in changing its place 
on trees, renders it extremely difficult to kill. It is readily 
tamed, and in that state will associate, with other domestic 
animals. 
6. Sciurus Hudsonius, or Hudson’s bay squirrel.—Ears 
naked ; back dark grey ; belly ash-coloured; tail dark grey, 
annulate, and tipt with black.—It is a native of the colder 
parts of North America, and particularly of the region 
from whence it takes its name. It is found in the pine- 
forests of that country, and feeds chiefly on the cones. It is 
smaller than the common European squirrel, and the tail is 
neither so long in proportion nor so full of hair. It does not 
alter its colour during the whole year. In winter it keeps in 
its nest, and makes its appearance on the return of the warm 
season. 
7. Sciurus Carolinensis, or Carolina squirrel.—Ears naked; 
body mixed grey, white, and rusty; beneath white; tail 
brown, mixed with black and edged with white.—Inhabits 
Carolina, as its name imports. It is the size of the last, and 
has by Dr. Shaw been considered as a variety of it. 
8. Sciurus Virginianus, or Virginian squirrel.—The body 
is a mixed dirty-white and black; the fur is coarse.—It is a 
native of Virginia, and is about the size of the Sciurus cinereus. 
The throat, insides of the legs, and thighs, are black ; the tail 
is short, dull, and yellow. 
9. Sciurus Persicus, or Persian squirrel.—The ears are 
plain ; the body dark, sides white, belly yellow ; the tail is 
mixed with black and ash, with a white ring.—It inhabits the 
higher mountains of Persia. It resembles the Sciurus vul¬ 
garis, but does not vary in colour. 
10. Sciurus anomalus, or Georgian squirrel.—Ears plain, 
rounded ; body above yellow, mixed with brown, beneath it 
is dark tawny ; the tail is the same as the upper parts.—It 
is a native of Georgia in Asia. Its mouth is white ; the 
nose is black at the tip; the cheeks are yellow; whiskers 
and orbits brown ; the ears are flame-coloured, and within 
whitish. 
11. Sciurus bicolor, or Javan squirrel—Ears plain and 
acute; the body above is black, beneath tawny ; the thumb- 
claw of the fore-feet is large and round.—It is found at Java, 
and is about a foot long. 
12. Sciurus erythraeus, or ruddy squirrel.—Ears slightly 
bearded at the tip; the body above is mixed, yellow and 
brown, beneath red, mixed with tawny ; tail the same, with 
807 
a longitudinal dark stripe.—It inhabits India, is larger than 
the Sciurus vulgaris; a large warty protuberance instead of 
the thumb. 
13. Sciurus macrourus, or Ceylon squirrel.—The tail is 
grey, and twice as long as the body.—It is a native of Ceylon, 
and is thrice as large as the Sciurus vulgaris. 
14. Sciurus maximus, or great squirrel.—This is the largest 
among all the known species of squirrels, it being the size of 
the common cat.—It is a native of India, and was first 
described by M. Sonnerat, who says it is found in the Mala¬ 
bar country, where it feeds on fruits, and is particularly fond 
of the milk of the cocoa-nut, which it pierces when it is ripe, 
in order to obtain the liquor. The fur on the whole animal 
is long and full; the top of the head, ears, back, and sides, 
are ferruginous; and a small band of a similar colour com¬ 
mences beneath each ear, passing along the neck towards 
the sides. This animal is said to be easily tamed, and is 
called about the coasts of Malabar by the name of the great 
wood-rat, 
15. Sciurus Abyssinicus, or Abyssinian squirrel.—Body 
above rusty-black, beneath cinereous; tail about eighteen 
inches long.—It is, as its specific name imports, a native of 
Abyssinia, and has been thought to be only a variety of the 
maximus. It is very good-tempered and sportive. 
16. Sciurus Indicus, or Bombay squirrel,—Ears tufted ; 
body above dull purple, beneath yellow ; tail orange at the 
tip.—It is sixteen inches long, and is a native of Bombay. 
17. Sciurus flav us, or fair squirrel.—Ears plain, roundish; 
body pale yellow; tail round.—It inhabits near Carthagena, 
in America. It is a very small animal; the hair is white at 
the tips ; the fore-thumb consists of only a small nail. 
18. Sciurus palmarum, or palm squirrel.—Body greyish, 
with three yellowish stripes; tail annulate, with whitish 
and black.—This is an inhabitant of the hotter parts of 
Asia and Africa. It feeds on cocoa-nuts, and is extremely 
fond of the wine made from the palm-tree. It is not more 
than three inches long; the tail is erect, not shadowing the 
body ; the ears are short, broad, hairy, roundish. 
19. Sciurus get ulus, orBarbary squirrel.—The body of this 
animal is brown, with four whitish longitudinal stripes.—It 
inhabits Barbary, and is about five inches long. 
20. Sciurus badjing, or plantane squirrel.—The body is of 
a pale chesnut colour, with a stripe along the sides.—It is a 
native of Java, and is very shy. 
21. Sciurus striatus, or striped squirrel.—Body is yellowish, 
with five longitudinal brown stripes of a blackish colour.— 
This is a native of the colder regions of Asia and North 
America, and it has been found, but not very frequently, in 
some parts of Europe. It differs from the major part of the 
squirrel tribe in its manner of life, which rather resembles 
that of the dormouse. It resembles some of the mouse1ri.be 
in this, that it is provided with cheek-pouches for the tem¬ 
porary reception of food, a peculiarity not to be found in 
any other species of squirrel. Its general length is not- six 
inches, and its tail is about the same. On the upper parts 
its colour is a reddish-brown, and on the under white; 
down the ridge of the back runs a black streak; and on 
each side the body are two others; the included space 
between each being of a pale yellow tinge; the tail is marked 
with circular spaces, like that of a mouse; but the fur 
spreads slightly on the sides, as in other species. These 
animals are extremely common in Siberia, inhabiting the 
maple and birch woods, of that country, and generally 
forming their nests near the root of some tree. They never 
ascend trees in the manner of other squirrels, unless suddenly 
surprised or pursued, when they will climb with great 
expedition, and conceal themselves among the branches. 
They collect their stores during the autumnal season, and on 
the setting in of the winter conceal themselves in their bur¬ 
rows, the entrances of which they stop, and pass the 
greatest part of the cold weather in sleep, and in feeding 
on their collected stores; but if, by the great length of the 
winter, their provisions happen to fail, they then sally out 
in quest of fresh supplies, and will occasionally make their 
way into. granaries, and even into houses. They are very 
- ’ choice 
