SQUIRREL, a Linnrean genus of rodent quadrupeds, now the family scinrithr. They belong to the section of rodentia having perfect clavicles, and are farther charac terized by bushy tail: the fore-paws furnished with four toes, which have curved claws, and a tubercular thumb; the hind-legs long, their feet with five toes; two incisors in each jaw; four molar teeth on each side in each jaw, simple, with tuberculona crowns, and a fifth in the front of the upper jaw, which soon falls out. Most of the species commcady carry the tail curved over the body, whence the Greek name skiouros (skin, a shade, and aura, a tail), of which the English squirrel is a corruption. The species are numerous, and are found in almost all parts of the world, except Australia; some inhabiting tempei ate and even cold regions, while some belong to tropical countries. Squirrels arc very active and lively creatures, at once shy and pert, very adroit in hiding themselves on the appearance of danger, but resembling monkeys in their inquisitive curiosity. They inhabit woods, and mostly spend their lives in trees, which they climb with wonderful agility, running along the branches, and leaping from tree to tree. Their running is a kind of bounding, and the •s!tl is then stretched out, as it is also in their leaps from branch to branch. which arc often to great distances. The flying squirrels are already noticed. Even the true squirrels resemble them in spreading out their limbs and tail to the utmost hi leaping, particularly when they descend from a high branch to the ground, and they titus leap from a great height without injury. Some species, however, seldom ascend trees, but burrow in the ground, and ate further dis tinguished by having cheek-pouches, while the tail is shorter than in the tree-squirrels, and its hair not so distinctly arranged in two lateral rows. These ground squirrels form the genus tamias. All the squirrels feed on fruits and seeds, the young shoots of trees, and other such vegetabl.e strbstanees; although they sometimes vary their diet by plun dering birds' nests, and not only sucking eggs., but devouring young birds, They ate also fond of the larvae of insects. In eating they often sit erect, and hold the food in their fore-paws. The hardest nut presents no difficulty to their sharp strong teeth. 3Iany of the species, and probably ell these of temperate and cold climates, lay up stores for winter.—The CommoN SQuhutcf, (S. rulotri.,) of Europe is a beautiful little animal, about SI in. in length without the tail, which is fully 6 in. loug, besides being apparently lengthened by its long hair. It is brownish-red on the upper parts, and white beneath; the color changes more or less iu winter tb a groyish-Lrown, and in northern countries to gray, and even to white. The long hairs which fringe the ears and are drawn up in to a line point, are longer in winter than in summer. Tbe common squirrel is widely distributed over the northern parts of the old world. and is plentiful. in England, and in some of the southern parts of Scotland, into which, how ever, it is said to have been introduced. It is generally protected and its prestnce in the vicinity of mansions; although it often does considerable injury in plantations by gnaw ing off the top shoots of trees, particularly of firs and pines. Morning is gt 'tonally the time of the squirrel's greatest activity, except in winter, when it prefers the warmest hours. Although numbers are often seen together, they live mostly in pairs, which seem to continue attached throughout life. The squirrel wakes a beautiful nest of moss, twigs, and dry leaves, curiously interwoven, most frequently in the fork of a tree at a considerable height from the ground. Here the young arc produced. three, four, or
five at a birth, in the middle of summer. They continue with their parents till the spring of next year. 'I he winter hoards of the squirrel, containing nuts, beech-mast, grain, and the like, are usually in holes in the ground about the roots of trees, not far from its ordinary abode, the same pair of squirrels having often it number of these hoards. The seeds of firs form a very considerable part of the winter-food of squirrels, and to obtain them, the scales are gnawed away from the cones. The squirrel is c asily tamed, and is an amusing pet. It is almost in constant motion, except when asleep.— The only other European species is the ALPINE SQUIRREL (S. alpinns), a native of the Alps and Pyrenees, about the some size with the common squirrel, deep brown, speckled with yellowish white.—North America abounds in species of squirrels. The GRAY SQUIRREL (S. migratorius) occurs in the northern parts of the United States, and as far north as Hudson's bay. It is much larger than the European squirrel, the whole length with the tail being nearly two feet. It is usually light gray, with yellowish-brown head, and longitudinal stripes of yellowish brown, but it is often found almost entirely black. Its habits are very similar to those of the common squirrel, but it is more gregarious. Gray squirrels sometimes visit corn-fields in large numbers. rued make great devastation. In Pennsylvania an old law gave a reward of threepence a head for every squirrel destroyed, and in the year 1749 no smaller a sum than £8,000 was paid out of the treasury on this account, so that 640,C00 squirrels must have been killed. Hosts of this species of squirrels sometimes leave their native woods, and migrate like the lemming (q.v.) of northern Europe, w 'nether urged by scarcity of food or through some other unknown impulse. These migrations usually occur in autumn, and are regarded with great hor ror by farmers. The squirrels advance in a straight course; mountains are no impedi ment, and although they swim with difficulty, they cross large rivers and narrow boys of lakes.—The CAROLINA GRAY SQUIRREL (S. Carolinensis) is a rather smaller species, abundant in the south-eastern parts of the United States, where its flesh is highly esteemed. A number of other species are found in different parts of North America, ond very beautiful species occur ill tropical countries, some of which live mostly in palms.—Of ground squirrels, several species are natives of I\ orth America, of which the best known is the CHIPPING SQUIRREL, HACKER, or CHIPMUNK Lpferi), abundant in almost all the eastern parts of the United States, and as far as ::10' 11. ha. Its length, with the tail, is fully ten inches; the general color gray, longitudinally striped with black turd yellowish white. It derives its name from its clappi>,g or chattering cry, which is like that of a young chicken. It seldom ascends trees: and is net troublesome to line farmer, as it does not attack standing corn, but gleans the fields, and feeds on fallen nuts in the woods. It burrows near the roots of trees, and several squirrels generally inhabit one burrow, which is deep and winding, and in which stores are laid up for win ter use. In carrying nuts or other food to its retreat, it makes use of its cheek-pouches, cramming and distending them to the utmost.—A. very similar species (7: striatus) inhabits Siberia.
The fur of some of the American squirrels is an article of commerce. It is one of the cheapest kinds of fur.