Of the Getulian Squirrel, described and figured by Doctor Cay.
THis Getulian or Barbarian Squirrel, is of mixt colour, as it were betwixt black and red, and from the shoulders all alone to the tail by the sides, there are white and russet strakes or lines, which in a decent and seemly order stand in ranks or orders; and there be some of these Squirrels which have such lines of white and black, with correspondent lines in the tail, yet they cannot be seen ex∣cept the tail be stretched out at length, by reason there is not much hair upon it. The belly seem∣eth to be like a blew colour upon a white ground. It is a little lesse then the vulgar Squirrel, and hath not any ears extant or standing up as that, but close pressed to the skin round, and arising a little in length by the upper face of the skin. The head is like the head of a Frog, and in other things it is very like the vulgar Squirrel, for both the outward shape, the manner, and behaviour, the meat and means of life agree in both, and she also covereth her body like other Squirrels. This picture and description was taken by him from one of them alive, which a Marchant of London brought out of Barbary.
They are very pleasant and tame, and it is very likely that it is a kinde of Egyptian or African Mouse, whereof there are three sorts described by Herodotus, the first called Bipedes, the second Zegeries, and the third Echines, of which we have already spoken in the story of divers kinds of Mice, and therefore I will here end the discouri•• of this Beast.