Those of the order of Gnawing Animals which have only two incisors in each jaw, and no rudimentary teeth like those possessed by the hares, are called "Simple-toothed Rodents." Of those the family usually placed first in order is that of the Squirrels and their allies. The True Squirrels and Marmots have five molar teeth on each side of the upper jaw.
By permission of Professor Bumpus, New York.
FLYING-SQUIRREL.
One of the small species of the group.
Squirrels are found in nearly every temperate part of the globe, from Norway to Japan, and in very great numbers in India and the tropics. Everywhere they are favourites; and though they do some mischief in highly cultivated countries, they are among the most harmless of creatures. Most of them live on wild nuts and the kernels of fruit; they suck eggs occasionally, and in Canada will come to the traps in extreme cold and eat the meat with which they are baited.
Photo by A. S. Rudland & Sons.
FLYING-SQUIRREL.
The large flying-squirrels are mainly nocturnal. They can leap a distance of 40 feet with the aid of the parachutes of skin stretching from the fore to the hind limbs.