153 
The Flying Squirrel. 
togither, a male and a female (as I suppose). They sleep a great part 
of the winter like the Alpine mouse, and very soundly, for I have seen 
when no noise of hunters could wake them with their cries, heating 
their nests on the outside, and shootinge boltes and arrowes thorough 
it, until it were pulled asunder, wherein many times they are found 
killed before they be awaked. They growe exceeding tame and 
familiar to men if they he accustomed and taken when they are 
young, for they runne up to mens shoulders, and they will oftentimes 
sit upon their handes, creepe into their pockets for nuttes, goe out of 
doores, and returne home againe ; but if they he taken alive, being olde, 
when once they get loose, they will never returne home againe. They 
are very harmefull, and will eat al manner of woollen garments, and 
if it were not for that discommodity, they were sweete-sportful-beastes, 
and are very pleasant playfellowes in a house.” (Page 658.) 
Du Bartas writes (p. 50):— 
“ There skips the squirrill, seeming weather-wise. 
Without beholding of heav’ns twinkling eyes : 
For, knowing well which way the winde will change, 
He shifts the portall of his little grange.” 
Dr. Giles Fletcher describes the flying squirrel found 
in Russia:— 
“ They have a kinde of squirrell that hath growing on the pinion 
of the shoulder bone, a long tuft of haire, much like unto feathers, with 
a far broader tayle then have any other squirrels, which they move 
and shake as they leape from tree to tree, much like unto a wing. 
They skise a large space, and seeme for to Hie withall, and therefore 
they call them letach vechse , that is, the flying squirrels. Their hares 
and squirrels are of the same colour with ours. In winter the hare 
changeth her coate into milke white, the squirrel into gray, whereof 
commeth the calabar .” ( Purchas , vol. iii. p. 417.) 
In Linschoten’s narrative of a voyage to Goa, in 
1583, we find mention of the common grey squirrel of 
India:— 
“ There are many monkies or marmosets, that doe great hurt to 
the palme trees, whereon the Indian nut or cocus doth growe. In 
those trees you shall commonly see certaine little beasts, called bichos 
de palmeyras, that is, beasts of the palme trees: they are much like 
ferrets, wherewith men use to hunt and catch cunnies, and have a taile 
