WILD ANIMALS. 105

are rather numerous, and are said to have the treach- erous disposition of the tiger. Numbers of sheep are destroyed by them ; and one will kill several of these unresisting creatures during a night, as they suck the blood only, leaving the flesh untouched. They are far more courageous than the wolf, and have not unfrequently driven that animal from its prey.

The musquash, or musk rat, is a black animal, about twice the size of a large rat‘. It has some resemblance to the beaver in its habits, and is also a gregarious animal. In winter, when the ponds are frozen over, a whole family build a hut on the ice, with sticks, rushes, and mud. They keep a hole open under this building, for the purpose of getting into the water for fish or other food.

Otters are of the same species as in Europe, but the fur is rather finer. The lesser otter of Canada is the same as the jackash.

The mink is a small black animal, with fine fur. It resembles the otter, and lives in the same manner.

There are four varieties of squirrels—the striped, the brown, the grey, and the flying squirrels. The fur of these beautiful, graceful animals is made into muffs and tippets, and used also for caps and hats by the hatters. They lay up a store of provisions for Winter, principally of beech nuts; and if corn—fields be near the woods, these industrious little creatures will assuredly have a share. It is amusing enough to see them running off, with their mouths full of corn, to some hollow tree ; and wicked boys consider