The individuals belonging to the animal family of which we shall presently proceed to describe one species, are remarkable for the liveliness of their disposition, the quickness of their motions, and the general beauty and neatness of their appearance. They climb trees, and spring from branch to branch with astonishing agility. Some of them are furnished with hairy membranes, in the form of a lateral and expansile skin, which enables them to leap occasionally from one tree to another. But though, from this circumstance, they are called flying squirrels, they are incapable of keeping up their volant motion in the manner of bats. The tails of all the tree squirrels are very long, bushy, and light; having the long hairs so extended towards one another, as to render this appendage wider than deep. In the extensive leaps which the animals take from tree to tree, their tail seems to serve the same purpose which the feather does to the arrow; for it balances the body, and renders their motion through the air much more steady than it would otherwise be. The greatest number of the species live almost entirely in woods, and make their nests in the hollows of trees; others burrow in the earth, land are, therefore, called ground squirrels. They five entirely on vegetable food; particularly nuts, and other fruits. When on the ground, they advance by leaps; and in eating, they sit erect, and hold their food in their fore-paws. Many of them may with care be rendered docile; but when irritated they attempt to bite. The skins of all the species are considerably valued as fur, and their flesh is a very palatable food.

The common gray squirrel is still very common throughput the United States, and was once so excessively multiplied as to be a scourge to the inhabitants, by invading the corn fields, from which it carries off and destroys a very large quantity of grain. Hence a pretty inveterate war is waged against it by the farmers.

Early in spring, the males of this species are observed to be particularly nimble and frolicsome, exhibiting wonderful proof of agility, while the females, like true coquettes, feign to avoid them by a variety of entertaining sallies. In warm summer evenings, they may also be seen playing their gambols among the trees; but. they seem to dread the heat of the sun; for during the day they commonly remain in their retreats, reserving their principal excursions for the night. This retreat, or nest, is generally formed among the large branches of a great tree, principally oak trees, where they begin to fork off into small ones. Having selected the part where the timber is beginning to decay, and where a hollow-may be more easily effected, the squirrel commences her operations by making a kind of level between these forks, and then fetching twigs, moss, and dry leaves, binds them so closely that they can resist the most violent storm. This part of the structure is covered on all sides, and has but a single opening at the top, just large enough to admit the animal; and this opening is itself defended from the weather by a kind of canopy, formed like a cone, so as to throw off the rain, however heavy it may fall. The inside is soft, roomy, commodious, and warm. During cold weather the squirrels seldom leave their snug retreats, except for the purpose of visiting their store-houses, and obtaining a supply of provisions. It has. been said that the approach of uncommonly cold weather is foretold when these squirrels are seen out in unusual numbers, gathering a larger stock of provisions, lest their magazines should fail. This, however, it has been again remarked, is not an infallible sign, at least in vicinities where many, hogs are allowed to roam at large, as these keen-nosed brutes are very expert at discovering the winter hoards of the squirrel, which they immediately appropriate to their own use.

Like most of the animals belonging to this order, they are very prolific. The young are generally three or four in number, and are produced about the middle of summer, and sometimes earlier. The squirrel is extremely watchful; and it is alleged, that if the tree in which it resides is but touched at the bottom, it instantly takes the alarm, quits its retreat, and glides from tree to tree till it is beyond the reach of danger. For some hours it remains at a distance from home until the alarm has subsided, and then it returns by paths, which, to nearly all quadrupeds but itself, are utterly impassable. Owing to its wonderful activity, it is very difficult to take a full grown squirrel alive, but we have seen boys sometimes contrive to lay hold of it, by assembling in the woods, and pursuing the animal with loud noises, and the barking of dogs, when it seems to lose its presence of mind, and falls to the ground.

The squirrel expresses the sensation of pain by a sharp piercing cry, and that of pleasure by a sound not unlike the purring of a cat. Besides, when teased or irritated, it occasionally utters a loud growl of discontent. It has been remarked that its gullet is very narrow, to prevent the food from being disgorged, in descending trees, or in leaping downwards. The species we are now describing, is remarkable among all our squirrels for its beauty and activity. It is in captivity very playful and mischievous, and is more frequently kept as a pet than any other. It becomes very tame, and may be allowed to spend a great deal of the time entirely at liberty, where nothing is exposed that can be injured by its teeth, which it is sure to try upon every article of furniture, etc, in its vicinity. It is curious, that in its wild state it satisfies its thirst only with the dew or rain collected in the leaves or the hollows of trees, but in its domesticated state it drinks freely, and a considerable quantity at a draught. In its wild state also, it feeds principally upon hickory nuts, chestnuts, and mast; in a state of captivity, it will eat a great variety of fruits, and other vegetable substances, and is delighted with sugar and sweetmeats.

The gray squirrel varies considerably in colour, but is most commonly of a fine bluish gray, mingled with a slight golden hue. This golden colour is especially obvious on the head, along the sides, where the white hair of the belly approaches the gray of the sides, and on the anterior part of the fore and superior part of the hind feet, where it is very rich and deep. This mark on the hind feet is very prominent, and evident even in those varieties which differ most from the common colour. For some remarks on the apparent or supposed emasculation of the squirrel, we refer our readers to the American Farmer, vol. V.

There are, belonging to the genus Sciurus, at least twenty-nine species; we shall content ourselves with mentioning those only which belong to America.

1. Common gray squirrel - Sciurus Carolinensis. Gmel. Godman's American Nat. Hist, vol. ii. p. 131.

2. Fox squirrel - S. Vulpinus. Gmel. Godman, p. 128.

3. Cat squirrel - S. Cinereus. Lin. Gmel. Godman, p. 129.

4. Black squirrel - S. Niger. Lin. Godman, p. 133.

5. Great tailed squirrel - S. Macroureus. Say. Godman, p. 134.

6. Line tail squirrel - S. Grammurus. Say. Godman, p. 136.

7. Four-lined squirrel - S. Quadrivittatus. Say. Godman. p. 137.

8. The chickaree - S. Hudsonius. Forster. Godman, p. 138.

9. Red belly squirrel - S. Rufiventer. Geoff. Godman, p. 141.

10. Ground squirrel - S. Striatus. Klein. Godman, p. 142.

11. Rocky Mountain ground squirrel - S. Lateralis. Say. Godman, p. 144.

12. Louisiana squirrel - S. Ludovicianus. Curtis. The flying squirrel belongs to the genus Pteromys.