2OO MAMMALIA. 



flight, and here and there the common red bat was on the wing ; 

 still for some time not a Flying Squirrel made its appearance. 

 Suddenly, however, one emerged from its hole and ran up to the 

 top of a tree ; another soon followed, and ere long dozens came 

 forth, and commenced their graceful flights from some upper branch 

 to a lower bouofh. At times one would be seen darting from the 



5 O 



topmost branches of a tall oak, and with wide-extended membranes 

 and outspread tail gliding diagonally through the air, till it reached 

 the foot of a tree about fifty yards off, when at the moment we 

 expected to see it strike the earth, it suddenly turned upwards and 

 alighted on the body of the tree. It would then run to the top 

 and once more precipitate itself from the upper branches, and sail 

 back again to the tree it had just left. Crowds of these little 

 creatures joined in these sportive gambols ; there could not have 

 been less than two hundred. Scores of them would leave each 

 tree at the same moment, and cross each other, gliding like spirits 

 through the air, seeming to have no other object in view than to 

 indulge a playful propensity." * 



The Flying Squirrel is the most highly specialized of the family 

 to which it pertains, its whole structure pre-eminently fitting it for 

 arboreal life. The peculiar tegumentary expansion along the sides 

 enables it to make flying leaps that far exceed those of other 

 squirrels ; and the ease, grace, and rapidity with which it glides 

 from tree to tree inspires the merest passer-by with wonder and 

 admiration. Its ordinary mode of progression is by a- series of 

 alternate climbs and leaps. Upon reaching a tree the first act is 

 to ascend, for, being unable to sail horizontally, it must attain a 

 considerable elevation before venturing to leap to the next. I nstead 

 of moving off in this way when disturbed, it sometimes runs up into 

 the topmost branches of the nearest tree, and, coiling itself into 

 surprisingly small compass, remains motionless till the intruder 

 has taken his departure. 



* Quadrupeds of North America, Vol. I, 1846, p. 218. 



